Battle of the Heart
by KaT aka Mistress Shinigami
Summary: **AU (Medieval)** 5xS, 2xH, 6x9...In the midst of a feudal war against Lord Treize and Lord Shang Po, can six people find the will to live on? (Formerly Untitled)
1. Don't Tell!

A/N: Something that I thought up in History class one day. We are studying Medieval Europe and this seemed like a pretty cool plot. I prolly won't get it done, or if I do it will take awhile. Truthfully, I don't even know if I'm posting this...so if you're reading this a/n then I guess I'm planning on finishing it. I never start a fic I won't finish.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the GW characters I'm using in my fic. However, all of my original characters that I'll use are my own, but I'll prolly only use OC for soldiers (knights) or somefin, so there's no main character as an OC. 

NOTE: I realize that, although this takes place in a certain time period, the rulers, pope and territories are not accurate according to history, so do not use this story as a reference. 

Second NOTE: I am not making the characters talk as they would in Medieval times. Too confusing. ^_^

"Don't Tell!"

Wufei grunted as he heaved a huge saddle ontop of the large warhorse. The black horse stamped his foot, turning to nip at the one who had placed the darned saddle on his back. The Chinese man smacked the horse in the neck good-naturedly. 

"Don't you dare bite me," he said gruffly. "I don't like you much anyway. I can't wait 'til I'm knighted."

A hardy slap on the shoulder broke Wufei out of his thoughts.

"Talkin' to the horse again, buddy?" came the cheerful voice of Duo Maxwell, another squire. Wufei bit back a snide remark, instead busying himself with the saddle girth. He pulled it tightly so the saddle wouldn't budge; it wouldn't do to get the knights angry. He might be "punished." The horse made another move to nip him as the girth tightened against his underside.

Being a squire was no easy task, but Wufei assumed he should be grateful. A knight was a brave and honorable occupation to hold, not to mention it was a place of nobility. Not so much as the lords, but higher than a peasant, no doubt. Anyway, he would be turning 21 soon...old enough to be dubbed and officially end his squireship. He may not enjoy the knightship long, though...

"I heard Lord Shang Po and Lord Treize Khushrenada are disputing," Wufei said, grabbing the bridle off the wooden peg it was hanging from. 

"I heard it too," Duo agreed, resting his elbow against the horse's hindquarters. "We may be going to war sooner than we think."

"Hn," Wufei replied with a nod.

"Where's my horse, boy?" came a gruff voice from outside the stables. Duo ducked out the back door, hurrying off to his quarters where he was supposed to be resting.

  


Wufei slipped the bridle over the large horse's head, having little trouble with getting him to take his bit. He led him out with a small slap on the rump, bringing the tacked horse to his master.        

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sally ran down the hall quickly, her hair loose and flowing behind her like a golden banner. She turned a corner sharply, before slipping in a storage closet. She heard the loud clap of feet as the cook rounded the corner. Sally could imagine his face purple and puffy from all the running. She stifled a laugh behind her hand. 

"Wretched girl," he mumbled angrily, "If she wasn't Lord Shang's daughter I would give her a good beating. Teach her a woman's place." Sally scowled, chomping into the juicy apple she had snuck from the kitchen. "Woman's place, my ass," Sally grumbled softly, emerging from the closet triumphantly. 

The young woman owed her colourful language to the knights and squires, which trained at her father's manor. It was so boring inside, so while she was supposed to be weaving, or something of the sort, she would sneak out and spy on the knights. She had a pair of breeches she had stolen, and she would bind her breasts, tuck her hair under a cap and walk around like a boy. As long as she wasn't discovered, her secret was safe. 

Taking another bite of the apple, Sally entered her room, plopping on the edge of her bed with little elegance. She looked into the vanity mirror across from her, and a beautiful young woman stared back at her. Sally's hair fell loose and wild around her face, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from running. She would have smiled, but chose to scowl instead. She looked so out of place in the horrendous dress she was made to wear. She hated the place women had in society! "Seen, not heard." "Obey her husband and father." Was there anything women _were _allowed to do? Of course Sally didn't have a husband, and thanked her lucky stars.

"But soon, father will try and sell me off to some stuffy lord," she said with a groan. Sometimes she wished she was born of lesser birth. She had heard stories of peasant women who took on their father's jobs if no son was present. 

The woman stood as she heard a knock on the door. She walked over and opened it to find her best friend, Hilde Schbeiker, standing out in the hall. Sally let her in with a smile. Hilde was one of the maids around the manor, and was Sally's best friend. Hilde had cropped raven hair and cornflower blue eyes. She would often sneak to watch the knights with Sally, but she did so for a different reason. 

You see, Hilde had a crush on one of the squires, or knights-in-training. 

"Hey Sal, do ya think we could go down and spy on the knights again? We haven't done so in a long time," Hilde asked, clasping her hands with excitement.

  


Sally winked. "Sure, I guess you've missed Duo's face, eh?"

Hilde blushed a brilliant shade of pink, but did nothing to deny it. Duo was the squire Hilde had a crush on. He had long chestnut hair that he pulled back into a braid. He had violet eyes that always seemed to light-up. 

"Oh, I suppose," the blonde woman said. She really needed the fun anyway...she was starting to get depressed. Cabin-fever, maybe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sally and Hilde slipped out of the manor unseen. Sally wore a hat over her head and pulled her hair up underneathe it. Hilde didn't wear a hat, since her hair was short already. The two were garbed in simple breeches and shirts, after each had bound her chest with some medical gauze.

"They should be coming out soon," Hilde whispered excitedly, "for bed inspection."

Sally grinned. She needed to find a way for Hilde to meet Duo...as a girl, of course. Sally had never seen the poor girl so worked up before. She must really be head-over-heels for the guy.

Hilde didn't have to wait long. Soon, the squires had lined up in front of a group of knights, while another group inspected their rooms they shared. The group of trainees stood stock-still as the knights watched over them...they had been taught strict discipline, and harsh punishments were practised for disobedience. The raven-haired girl scanned the group and quickly spotted Duo. His face was grim like everyone else's, but his eyes held their ever-present shine. He was standing next to a stoic man with black hair and dark eyes, who stood stiffly, appearing almost bored.

An irritable knight stormed out of one of the rooms, glaring at each squire he passed. His name was Quinze, and to say he was not liked would be an understatement. 

The sneering knight walked down the rows of trainees, glaring at each one in turn before moving on. He came to a rest in front of Duo, and produced an apple core, waving it in front of the braided man's face. His scowl deepened as Duo gazed at him innocently. 

"Do you know the punishment for sneaking food, Maxwell?" Quinze asked, small droplets of spittle flying out of his mouth as he annunciated each word. When Duo didn't answer the man got even angrier. "This apple core was found under your bed, and for this crime you must be punished."

  


Hilde watched in silent horror as Duo's body tensed up mere seconds before Quinze brought a stick down on him. The sickening crack of the stick resounded throughout the now-quiet court yard. Duo dropped to his knees from the pain, but the knight didn't stop with one blow. He continued hitting Duo forcebly. Wufei winced mentally with each whack against his friend's body. He had stolen an apple...that didn't call for a beating. An angry blow, maybe...but Quinze was going too far. It was not just.

Before Wufei could stop himself, he shoved Quinze away from Duo, and the knight landed on his rump clumisly. A few knights couldn't help but chuckle snidely at the irritable knight who had landed in a heap on the cobblestone ground. Quinze raised himself with very little dignity, and raised his hand to hit Wufei, when a small rock connected with the back of his head.

"Nice shot, Sally," Hilde whispered as her friend grabbed another rock.

"Thanks," Sally replied, before shoving Hilde behind her. "Get back to the castle. If you get caught it could be big trouble, but they wouldn't be allowed to harm me."

Hilde complied reluctantly, shooting a parting glance at Duo, who had raised himself once more, and somehow managed to put a smile on his face. 

Sally hefted another rock, chucking it at Quinze's head once again. She was not disappointed as the rock hit its mark once more.

"It's not so hard," Sally mumbled to herself. "His head's so big, anyway."

Quinze whirled around and caught a glimpse of Sally hiding in the shadows. She quickly moved away from view but the damage had been done.

"I'll get you, you runt!" he called, chasing after her with surprising speed. In the commotion, squires began causing a ruckus, and even some of the knights had stirred up. In the confusion, Wufei slipped down an alleyway, hoping to cut Quinze off. True, he didn't show emotions well at all, but Duo was the only friend he had. And the Chinese man knew that if Duo had stolen something from the kitchen he wouldn't leave any evidence behind. It must have been his roommate, Trant who had decided to frame Duo for his own illegal snacking.   

Wufei turned a corner and saw what looked like a boy running towards him, Quinze following close behind. Wufei ducked behind a wheelbarrel and pulled the boy with him, covering his mouth with one of his hands. Quinze rounded the corner as well, but kept on running, his chest heaving up and down with the effort he exerted.  Wufei pulled away from the boy and moved his hand away from his mouth. 

"Thank you," he managed to breath out, his light blue eyes looked at Wufei gratefully. 

"Hn, well thanks to you," Wufei said irritably, "I am going to be in even more trouble."

"Not likely," the blue-eyed boy said, placing a hand on his hip. "Now he will be looking for a 'runt' instead." Wufei thought about this for a moment, then agreed with a slight nod. 

"I better go," the boy said, backing away, "Hil-er...Hilward probably is probably waiting."

  


"Hilward?" Wufei asked skeptically. The boy nodded dumbly, trying to look sincere.

The blue-eyed boy turned to go when a strong wind blew by, tearing the hat from his head. Blonde hair cascaded from underneathe, and Wufei's breath caught his throat. The boy was actually a _girl_! 

"Don't tell!" she whispered frantically, before turning and fleeing down the alley and up towards the manor house, leaving Wufei staring after her in numb shock.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hilde's breath caught in her throat.

"He what?" she exclaimed incredulously, gripping Sally's shoulders firmly and shaking her.

"He...knows I'm not a boy," she repeated, shaking Hilde's hands off her shoulders. "But...he has no reason to tell..."

"Of course he has a reason!" the small raven-haired woman interjected. "If he turns us in, maybe he'll get off the hook for shoving that knight!"

"Of course he won't turn me in!" Sally said defiantly, fixing Hilde with a steady glare. 

"How do you know that?" her friend asked, her cornflower blue eyes hardened with resolve. "I have to go, I have cleaning duty soon," she said, turning and walking out of the room. Sally pounded her fists against her knees in anger. How had things gone so horribly wrong? Why had she distracted the knight...what happened to the squires was really none of her business...

She had been a fool. A silly, weak and incompetent fool. With a growl of frustration the young woman stormed off to find something to occupy her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Duo gripped his head in his hands, trying to ease the insistant pounding that plagued him. Damn that Trant...he was not going to get away with framing him. But Duo didn't want just any payback...oh, no. He wanted a long, slow and painful payback. He was the God of Death, after all...and he would use his patience to wait for the perfect moment for his revenge. Something that would look accidental, or something that he could have an excuse for. 

Across the room, the braided man heard the door creak open, and glanced up to see Wufei standing in the doorway, holding a hat in his hands. He tossed the hat at Duo, who caught it with a natural ease.

  


"Ya know that runt who hit Quinze with the rocks?" Wufei questioned, leaning against the doorframe.    

"Yeah, though I was sorta indisposed at the moment," he replied, turning the hat over in his hands.

"Well, it was a girl," Wufei told him, crossing his arms over his chest.

Duo raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "You aren't serious..."

"Would I make that up, Maxwell?" Chang said irritably, his eyebrows furrowing in frustration. Duo shook his head.

"Why are you telling me this?" Duo asked, resting his elbows on his knees and placing his chin in his hands. 

"Cause she looked exactly like Lord Shang's daughter," the Chinese man replied, leaving his post at the doorframe to lean against the wall next to the bed Duo sat on.

"Now I _know_ you're lying..." Duo said, shoving a hand through the top of his braid.

"I _know_ it was her!" Wufei spat. "I saw her and the lord once when they left to visit Lord Peacecraft." Duo nodded, finally accepting his story.

"Imagine that," Duo said, leaning back with a grin. "The lord's daughter has been prancing around the court yard as a boy."

"Don't you dare get any fresh ideas, Maxwell," Wufei said warningly, turning to leave. 

"Fine, she's all yours 'Fei," the braided man called with a saucy wink. 

He never even saw the boot Chang threw at his head in reply.                

A/N: How was that for the first installment? Cliché…yah, it's a major cliché. But hey, it's a plot bunny…I'm just posting it for kicks. Don't worry, SotP and WttS are my top priorities…although I have the next chapter for this fic written already.


	2. I'll Turn Her In

A/N: The second chapter to my medieval story. Don't get mad at me…I am soooo close to finishing chapter seven for Windows to the Soul. Be looking for it either today or tomorrow. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. I guess I own Shang and Antwan who I made up. Oh yeah, and I picked the name Miguel for King Peacecraft…uh, well just because I didn't know what his real name is.

"I'll Turn Her In"

Hilde carried a huge pot of water, trying her best to hide her obvious struggling. The damnable pot _had _to weigh at least as much as she did. The young woman sighed; the walk back would be easier, considering she was supposed to empty this pot which had enough water to support a monsoon. 

Hilde bit her lower lip: okay, now she was exaggerating. 

The night closed in around her, darkness seeping into every crack and crevice, making things appear as though they were dipped in ink. The faint silver light the moon brought was enough to luminosity the path so the young woman wouldn't falter against a stray rock. 

  


The day's events played their course through her thoughts. It had hurt her so much to see Duo getting beaten, and yet she didn't even know him. You can be sweet on someone you don't know, but how can you care so deeply about him? 

In truth, she wasn't really mad at Sally for getting caught. It had to end sooner or later, but she just wished it could have been later rather than sooner. The worst part was, if anyone found out Hilde had participated in the escapades...she would be a goner. Sally, being the lord's daughter, was often given pardons where those of lesser birth were not.

Walking down the cobblestone alley silently, Hilde yelped in surprise when a shadow jumped in front of her. Fear pressed down on Hilde from all sides when she heard the shadow whisper.

"Greetings, sweetie. What are you doing out so late," a male voice whispered slimily. "And all alone, too."

Using strength she didn't know she possessed, Hilde flung the pot's contents at the figure. He cursed in surprise at the mucky water that drenched him. Before he could react, the smaller woman shoved the pot hard into his gut, and then turned heel and ran.

"Get back here, you wench!" the voice yelled, reaching to a shriek, as it got louder. The figure had blocked her way into the manor house, so she was forced to run away, deeper into the alley.

Hilde ran as fast as her slim legs would carry her. The night pressed around her, and she realized how utterly vulnerable she had been. She let out another scream as a second figure appeared in front of her.

"Slow down there, miss, what's the problem?" came a reassuring voice and Hilde stopped running, glancing up at the person before her. The moonlight lit the area well enough for Hilde to catch a pair of violet eyes. 

A pair of footsteps clapped angrily on the stone as Hilde's pursuer met up with them. The man was still yelling at the "filthy wench" when he saw the man with her. Hilde couldn't help herself as she backed so she was behind the man with the violet eyes. Something inside of her snapped. "Duo?" she thought just as his voice broke through her thoughts.

"Trant, you bastard," Duo snarled. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What are you doing out of bed, Maxwell?" the man, Trant, sneered. "I thought after today you'd be afraid of running into Quinze."

Duo growled, barely checking his rage. "You set it up, and now you will pay the price."

"They'll never believe you," the other man said with a triumphant smirk. 

  


"What do you mean?" Duo asked, feigning innocence. "I was merely helping out a damsel in distress!" Hilde was quick, and caught on easily.

"Yes," Hilde agreed, also feigning innocence. "You tried to hurt me, before Duo came to my rescue. Too bad he had to...ah, subdue you."

With that said, Trant turned tail and fled. However, instead of going after him Duo offered his arm to Hilde.

"I would be honored if I could escort milady back to the manor," he said, giving her a wink and a cheery grin. Hilde chuckled and took his proffered arm.

"Why thank you, milord," she replied, and the two walked happily back up to the manor, walking as slow as possible. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The golden rays of light that seemed only to appear in the morning shone through the windows of the young woman's room. The heavy curtains were pulled aside, and the room was filled with the light of morn. In a particularly large patch of sunlight sat Sally, who was basking in the warm glow almost felinely. She brushed her hair simultaneously, the sunlight catching the gold flecks of her hair and making them sparkle.

The door was thrown open and Hilde came running in, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed with excitement. 

"Sally!" she squealed, plopping on the ground next to her friend. "You will never guess who I saw last night!" Sally dropped the brush, turning to her.

"Duo?" she asked bluntly. Hilde opened her mouth to speak, and then abruptly closed it.

"You're no fun," she pouted, and Sally laughed.

"All right, how's this: I don't know, my dearest Hilde, who did you meet last night?" the blonde woman asked, adopting a fake falsetto.

Hilde rolled her cornflower blue eyes, but played along anyway.

"Well I was emptying out a large tub of water the cook had used," she explained, eyes shining with mirth. "When this young man jumped out and scared me senseless. He started acting really...slimy...so I dumped the water on him..." at this Sally laughed. "...and shoved the tub into his gut. I start running, and whom should I meet up with, but Duo Maxwell! He offers to walk me back, after frightening the other man...Trant, I think he called him." Hilde let out a wistful sigh. "Now that I've met him, I think I like him even more..."

  


Sally punched the other woman's arm playfully. "Don't be such a sap."

Hilde rubbed her arm in mock hurt. "You shouldn't hit a lady, ma'am." Sally clutched her stomach, erupting in laughter. 

As the laughter died to chuckles, Sally wiped her eyes where tears had been squeezed out from the chortles. Hilde patted her arm sympathetically.

"Don't worry, Sal," she said in false sorrow. "I'm sure you will find a man soon enough. A nice fat one with lots of money." Sally scowled.

"I don't want a fat man," she said defensively. "In fact, I don't want one with money either. Hell, I don't want a man at all!"

"Language, dearie," Hilde scolded, mocking the nurse with exact precision, but then became serious after a few minutes.

"You know, Sally, not all men are evil," she told her friend, furrowing her slender eyebrows at her friend's impassive look.

"I have yet to find a man like that," Sally replied, and then raised an eyebrow dubiously. "I doubt such a man exists."

"You are impossible, Sally Lien Po!" Hilde cried with exasperation, standing up and beginning to walk out the door. But, before she got out, a pillow, courtesy of Sally, flew and bounced off Hilde's tiny behind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Quinze surveyed the group of squires with distaste. The squires held similar expressions, but theirs were disguised to look attentive. The hat the old knight wore did little to hide the patch on the back of his head. Duo couldn't help but smirk at this, but Wufei scowled. A female had bested his superior. A snotty noble female dressed as a boy...could it have gotten any worse?

"If any of you," the knight sneered, "see a boy in a hat, please report him to me." Wufei held back a snide snort. How many "boys with hats" lived in this manor alone? His thoughts were interrupted as Quinze continued.

"Until the culprit is found." Wufei narrowed his eyes. This was not going to be good...

"Your work will be doubled. If anyone is holding out on their comrades, I would advise they watch their backs..." His gaze traveled to Wufei, who fought against looking away, and insisted meeting the older man's gaze.

"Damn it," Duo cursed in annoyance. "Damn Quinze's stinky ass to hell! And may he burn forever!" He came over and glared at Wufei sharply. "We have to turn her in."

  


Wufei's obsidian eyes widen first in shock, and then narrowed in anger.

"She saved your sorry butt, Maxwell, it would be dishonorable," he said plainly, walking towards the stables. The braided man caught up with him quickly.

"Since your honor stops you, then I'll turn her in," he declared. The other man remained expressionless. "She's the lord's daughter, 'Fei!" he exclaimed, using the nickname Wufei detested. "They won't do anything bad to her!"

"I'm not worried about her, idiot!" Wufei growled. "Have you listened to anything I've said?"

Duo pretended to look confused. "Huh, did you say something?" The Chinese man's scowl deepened and he shoved Duo lightly. 

Duo studied his friend critically. 'He never said I couldn't turn her in,' he thought, torn in two. 'It's either all the squires, or one woman.' Duo chuckled. 'And as Wufei would say, women are weak, anyway.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Prince Zechs stared out of the window listlessly. His father, King Miguel Peacecraft, was going more worried with each passing day. Two lords under him, Lord Shang and Lord Treize, were disputing, which is never a good thing. What makes it worse is that Lord Treize has a powerful vassal under him, Lord Antwan Noin, and Lord Antwan had good relationships with Lord Shang. This made things quite twisted, especially if Antwan's liege lord decided to call upon him for aid. 

Zechs's ice blue eyes seemed bored, but inside he was an emotional turmoil. Accompanying Lord Antwan would be his pride and joy, his only daughter, Lucrezia. Zechs and Lucrezia had met twice before when the King and Lord Antwan had gotten together. The first time they had become fast friends. The second time he had given into defeat, and finally admitted it to himself: he was in love with the young noblewoman. 

Oh, how had things gone so horribly wrong? It was impossible, in the feudal society, for him to take Lucrezia as his bride, for she was but a vassal's daughter, while he was the son of the king; the oldest son of the king. Zechs cursed his prince ship, he cursed Lucrezia's lower status, and he cursed everything.

"Come, Prince Zechs," a young guard said. "King Miguel wishes for you to help greet the guests." Taking a deep breath, Zechs stood, his long platinum hair falling elegantly to his waist. He followed the guard to a beautiful sitting room where his father sat at an ornate chair. Lord Antwan sat at a chair, which was more prosaic, but still quite lovely. At his side sat Lucrezia on a similar chair. The trio sat in a makeshift circle, an empty seat in between his father and Lucrezia, which is where he sat, keeping his face neutral. 

  


"Greetings, Prince Zechs," Antwan said warmly. "Though it was but a year since I last saw you, you have indeed grown up into a strong man." The blonde man offered the lord a weak smile.

"Yes, too long to be parted from such friends," he replied, cringing inwardly at his choice of words, but Miguel and Antwan seemed not to notice. Lucrezia, however, turned her violet eyes to him, studying his face as one would gaze upon a beautiful puzzle. A look of both awe and confusion marred her features. The two broke away when Miguel's hefty laugh echoed throughout the spacious room.

"Yes, my boy!" he cried, clapping Zechs on the shoulder. "Why don't you take Lucrezia out to see the garden while Antwan and I discuss some important matters."

Zechs scowled slightly, his eyes hardening. He wanted to know more about the feudal dispute that had everyone so worked up, but the stern look Miguel sent him stopped his protests sharply. He sighed, quietly leading the raven-haired woman towards the gardens at the side of the castle. His steps lightened as he studied the small smile on her face.

"Is the beech tree still there?" she asked, walking the stone pathway aside the silent prince. 

"You have a keen memory, Lucrezia," he stated. "Yes, it's still there."

"I'm nothing special," she said, sobering, and he had a sinking feeling that her statement held more than one meaning. "It was only a year ago, after all."

One year ago...

_"What's wrong, Lu?" Zechs asked with concern, eyeing her from his seat in the crook of a tree branch. She was seated similarly beside him, trying hard to hide her tears._

 _"It's just..." she faltered. "I am a disappointment to my family." Zechs frowned in frustration...who was feeding her these lies?_

_"Why do you say that?" he asked, turning in the hollow he was nestled in so he was facing her, giving her his undivided attention. _

_"I just can't do anything right! My sewing looks like that of a three year old! Father has increased my lessons, but I just can't do it," she sighed. "I also tried weaving, but I can't do any of it. Especially since mother died, father has expected me to do everything she did. I have inherited none of my mother's traits," she smiled humorlessly._ _"Except her looks."_

_"Well that's not so bad is it?" he inquired. "Who cares if you can't sew?"_

_Lucrezia sighed. "You don't understand. Until I learn to do the things teacher says, I am not allowed to go horseback riding."_

_  
_

_Zechs smiled sympathetically. Horseback riding was something Lu loved with a fiery passion. Not to mention she was an even better rider than he was. _

_"Teacher said, that if I can't do those things, that I am worthless to my family. She said I wouldn't get married because of my horseback riding skills. I must learn to be a good wife," she explained sullenly._

_"If it helps ease your hurt," Zechs told her softly, "then you should know that I think you're perfect the way you are." The young man leaned over and brushed a kiss against Lucrezia's cheek. She blushed despite herself, but followed suit as Zechs hopped out of the tree._

"You're right," Zechs agreed. "But seems so long since I last saw you."

"Too long?" she questioned quietly, so it was almost inaudible. Zechs didn't respond, instead jumping onto a low branch of the tree they had just come up to. After seeing the skirts Lucrezia was in, he came to a lower branch and offered his hand. She looked at him challengingly, before climbing up swiftly without his aid. Zechs couldn't keep the elated smile from gracing his face. Gods, he had missed her.

A/N: I'm contemplating taking this off of ffnet (or mmorg)…Unless people are actually reading it. Actually the only reason I'm writing it is because it's an annoying plot bunny that won't leave me in peace until I have typed down my ideas. Please review!

**Notes (Before You Flame…):**

****

            -I made up the names Antwan, Shang and Miguel. I know these are not accurate to the original Gundam Wing, nor are they accurate to this time in history. This is an AU, after all, which means I am making the majority of it up.

            -I realize this takes place in medieval _Europe_, which means that Shang, Sally and Wufei are sorely out of place. As well as Duo, I suppose, since he is of American heritage. I am using all of these characters anyway, so if that's a problem…well…I don't know why it would be…

            -This is non-yaoi. Now this is a stupid note, since it's clearly marked as non-yaoi in the summary, but I don't want to get flamed for my choice of pairings. I treat yaoi fans with respect and I expect the same treatment in return. 

            Thanks for reading, ja! 


	3. Like a Dragon Attempting to be a Bunny

A/N: Here is the third chapter. If anyone has any suggestions, comments or questions, either leave a review or email me at trunks_girl01@hotmail.com. 

Disclaimer: I don't own the Gundam Wing characters I am using. 

"Like a Dragon Attempting to be a Bunny" 

"SALLY LIEN!!!!" a stern and gruff voice called. Sally halted what she had been doing, silently cursing. What could her father want? She had an idea, and feared the worse. She walked swiftly towards the study, which is where the angry voice had come from.

The young woman walked in, seeing her father seated at a chair. The knight Quinze sat across from him, and on either of Quinze's sides stood two men. One she recognized as Duo, and the other caused her to growl angrily. It was the squire that had saved her from Quinze...the same one who saw her as a woman!

"You called, father?" she asked, unable to keep the edge off her voice. The trainee with black hair scoffed softly at her. Instead of getting angry, Lord Shang motioned to the men across from him.

"This is the honorable knight, Quinze," Shang told his daughter. Duo snickered at the 'honorable,' but only Sally and Wufei heard him. The former chuckled, and the latter glared, but couldn't keep his lip from twitching. Shang Po continued. "And these are two squires, Duo Maxwell and Wufei Chang."

'So the little rat's name is Wufei,' she thought angrily, but kept her face _almost _expressionless. 

"Do you have any reason why they are here?" he asked, his anger returning. Sally played innocent.

  


"It isn't more feudal trouble, is it, father?" she asked, feigning concern. "Lord Treize is not attacking, is he?" She clutched her heart in an act of weakness. 

"You are acting like a dragon attempting to be a bunny," Shang said with a growl. "Stop these games, now!" Sally massaged the bridge of her nose.

"Well why are they here?" he reiterated.

"Maybe they're here to accuse me of something? Is that what you want to hear, Lord Shang?" she asked icily, before turning and marching angrily out of the large open doorway of the study. Wufei frowned. She gave in too easily. 

"If I may, my lord," Quinze remarked snidely. "Your daughter must learn a woman's place. Perhaps you should bring her back in here, rather than send her off."

"I will do what I please with my daughter, Sir Quinze. But, I believe she _does _need to learn a woman's place. Young Wufei," Lord Shang commanded, pointing towards the door, "retrieve Sally. Her room is the second one on the left down the east corridor." Wufei bowed stiffly, before turning and walking quickly out of the study. 

'Why must I go and get the woman?' Chang thought to himself, a scowl marring his sharp features and contrasting them, when on normal occasion they would be quite handsome.

The east corridor had a lower ceiling than the cathedral-style of the entryway and dining room. The floor was softened by a plush scaralet carpet that cushioned his hurried footfalls. The walls were flat, but sloped slightly to the ceiling, making the hall appear almost tunnel-like. Paintings and tapestries embellished the otherwise bare walls, attempting to add cheer and color to the empty corridor. Sally's room was easy to recognize. It was a mediocre-sized wooden door, equipped with an engraved handle plated in gold. The young squire curiously wondered why Sally was all the way back in this corridor, when the rest of the noble family was in the west wing.

Wufi raised a bronze hand and knocked raptly on the door, his face showing impassiveness as it was immediately thrown back by Sally, her expression anger. Her blue eyes steeled in recognition, and she offered the man a furious glare. She poked him hard in the chest accusingly.

"You had _no _right," she cried angrily, "to go and blab your mouth like a pathetic two-year old!" 

Wufei glared at her in his own arising anger. But before he could get a word out, he was thrown back by a fist that connected with his jaw and snapped his head back. He was prepared, however, when a second fist came flying into view. This time, he grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm so he had her arm twisted around her back.

  


"Before you accuse me again, woman," he whispered angrily, his breath upsetting the hair that fell against Sally's neck, "I'll have you know that it was not me who spilled your secret." He released her arm and she backed away, turning to face him. He was surprised to see no anger whatsoever showing on her face. In fact...she looked...interested?

"Can you show me how you did that?" she asked, referring to the way he twisted her arm around.

"Fighting is not for women," he said with a shake of his head, wondering where she got such crazy notions and, unlike her, his anger had not yet dissipated. 

"Tell that to your jaw, tough-boy," she mocked, before turning and walking away.

"Hey!" Wufei called angrily. "I'm supposed to take you to Lord Shang!" But she was long ahead of him, and he jogged to catch up with her. He would not be bested by a woman. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey Wufei!" Duo called, running to catch up with him. Quinze had allowed them to go back to their duties after they had gone with him to the manor house.

"What?" the other man asked gruffly, turning to meet his fellow trainee.

"Whoa," Duo said in awe, before lighting up like a Christmas tree. "What the hell happened to your jaw?" He immediately regretted his words as Wufei chose that moment to shout out angrily.

"That damned woman is what happened!" he cried, filled with indignation. "She thought _I _was the one who ran tattling to Quinze. What, pray tell, would give her that idea?" Duo backed away, holding his palms up defensively.

"Don't get mad at me," he told the Chinese man innocently. "You never said I couldn't tell. And anyway, you already broke the promise by telling me in the first place!"

"It was never a promise," Wufei said thoughtfully. "I never agreed..." he trailed off.

"So see, you got nothing to worry about," Duo said happily. "Except, maybe your fighting skills," he added, unable to keep from remarking on Wufei's slightly swollen cheek. 

"Fighting skills, my ass," he growled, before taking a swing at Duo with his fist. The other young man responded in kind, and soon the two were engaged in a fighting spar that was broken only when duty called.                                                                                

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're what?" Hilde shrieked angrily, her normally pretty features contorted into an angry scowl. "I cannot believe you've been exiled to your room!"

  


Sally looked angry as well, her fists clenched tightly at her sides so that her knuckles were white.  She stopped when her friend was speaking to her, but when she ceased speaking, the young woman immediately took up her pacing once again. Her steps were those of a seething mad person, footsteps falling heavily against the floor, though the carpet muffled the stomps.

"Since I cannot be trusted on my own," Sally said with contempt, "I must stay in my room, and I'm only allowed out if a chaperone comes and walks with me."

"But why such a harsh punishment?" Hilde asked, fearful of what might happen if he found out she had been involved too.

"It must be in relation to the feudal conflict that's been brewing," Sally said thoughtfully, her pacing coming to a slow stop as she stared at the wall in concentration.

"I haven't heard of a feudal conflict arising," said the German woman said in confusion, looking to her friend for an answer.

"My father has been keeping it hushed," Sally admitted, turning to look at her friend, "but I overheard some of the knights talking about it. It seems Lord Treize and my father are having a dispute."

"How bad is it?" asked a fearful Hilde, her thoughts immediately going out to the knights who would engage in such a conflict, if...

"I hear it's about to start a feudal war..." Sally said softly, "and with Lord Treize's vassals and allies...I think it will be a bloody war, indeed..."    

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Prince Zechs walked swiftly along the small path of the garden, his ice blue eyes scanning over the beautiful flowers and topiaries. He was searching for something far more precious...

"Lucrezia," he greeted softly as he spotted his friend. She was seated high in the beech tree, which came as no surprise to him.

"Good morning," she replied, watching with interest as he quickly climbed the tree, seating himself on a branch almost level with hers.

"I overheard our fathers talking at their morning meal," he said conversationally, gauging her reaction.

"And..." she prodded further, turning in the branch so she was fully facing him. 

  


"My father has demanded your father's first allegiance," he told her with a small smile. "Your knights, as well as your noble family, are to move here to further 'protect' the royal family."

"I see," Lucrezia said, her gaze penetrating his. "So Lord Treize would be unable to call for my father's assistance. We would not be forced to fight Lord Shang."

"Exactly," the blonde prince agreed, but frowned when he saw that she still wasn't happy. But before he could ask, she answered his unspoken question.

"It seems," she said softly, "like we are running from our problems, and I fear Lord Treize will see through our plight."

"He most likely will," the young man answered truthfully. "But there is nothing else we can do, and Lord Treize is powerless against my father."

The raven-haired woman conceded with a nod. Zechs studied her expression as a small smile graced her face. He studied her violet eyes for a moment, before questioning.

"Why are you so joyful?" was his question, and her smile widened, and when he saw her happy he wasn't able to stop a smile lifting his own face. For some reason everything seemed surreal to him. The wind rustling the leaves sped up his heart more than the finest orchestras. The scent of the grass and the flowers filled his senses more than any fragrance worn by the finest women.

And the woman in front of him looked more breathtaking than any painting, any flower, and any person he had ever seen. The wind had tousled her raven curls and her eyes were alight with emotions and happiness. She didn't look put-together or fake whatsoever. This must be what natural beauty was.

"So we will be living here from now on," she stated the sentence more than inquired.

"Yes," he agreed, and before he could stop himself, his hand moved of its own accord and stroked her cheek delicately. 

His actions were graced with another smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wufei sat astride a burly warhorse, looking almost regal in the way he held himself on top of the large horse. Duo sat on a similar horse, although he looked more relaxed than his companion. Practice swords bounced in their sheaths against the men's thighs, creating a rhythmic sound much like the plate-sized horse hooves did.

"No sooner than we're knighted and we'll already be in the middle of a feudal war," Duo stated solemnly, losing his usual cheer for a more somber attitude much like that of his comrade's.

  


"Yes," Wufei agreed, studying the land stretching before them. "We will have no time to enjoy the pleasures of ending our squire-ship."

"Yep," said Duo, then took on a wistful grin. "And I'll never get to see that girl again."

"A girl, Maxwell?" Wufei scoffed, turning to glare at the braided man. "I thought better of you!"

Duo chuckled, before slapping Wufei's horse on the rump, causing the animal to start, but luckily the horse did not buck or rear.

"Lighten up, 'Fei," Duo said with a grin. "Not all women are evil, you know." Wufei rolled his eyes.

"Who said women are evil?" he inquired with a shake of his head, the small black ponytail swaying with the movement.

"You never said," Duo said sagely, "but you sure act like it."

"Women are not evil," the Chinese man amended, "but they are weak. They require the care of a man to survive, and they cannot do anything on their own."

"Not all women," Duo replied, then dug his heels into his horse's sides with a shouted 'yah! Wufei grumbled something incoherently before speeding off after his crazy companion. 

A/N: Thank you's to everyone who has read thus far. This started out as a small, meaningless plot bunny of mine…and has escalated from there. To those reading "Song of the Phoenix", bear with me; I'm having a little writer's block. I will be getting the next chapter asap, though. Oh yeah, I'll update this story too ~_^ Please review!


	4. As You Command

A/N: What can I say...I finally updated!! I am still working on Song of the Phoenix...I am also working on a Sally x Wufei ficcie...kinda angsty. Expect that one out sometime. I'm also working on a fic for the Wing: Throughout the Ages contest. I _hope_ I get it done before the contest is over. It's a Renassaince fic about the Black Death. It has 2xH, 5xS and 1xR. Expect that to be uploaded in the near future as well.

Whew, now that I got that outta the way...

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

"As You Command"

Sally sat on her bed stiffly, her arms folded tightly across her chest and her jaw was clenched from her efforts of restraining herself from screaming out loud. Being held captive, as she so lovingly put it, was not something she enjoyed in the least. She would rather strike up a hearty conversation with Wufei than be stuck inside all day. 

'C'mon, Sal, you never took things lying down before,' she coached herself silently, standing up from her sulking position and pacing around her room robotically. The cloth of her dress "swished" between her legs...the only sound heard in the tension-filled room. The punishment she had been given only succeeded in firing her determination to find a way out of it.  

With a sigh, the honey-blonde woman walked over to the window, resting her arms on the sill. She could jump out, but she wouldn't get very far. The fall would surely break her leg.

Glancing down, Sally could see the cold and unforgiving cobblestone, which almost seemed to blend with the stone wall, which made up the side of the manor. The stone on the manor wasn't so cold, however. Green ivy vines snaked their way up the wall. Sally did a double take. The ivy vines!!! 

Throwing caution to the wind, the young woman swung one leg over the window, and then the other. Soon her hands on the sill held her up, clutching tightly. Growing a little frantic, she tried in vain to dig her nails into the sill. They short fingernails scraped harmlessly against the stone, splitting and scraping the ends of her fingers. Blood dripped down her hands, tickling the skin, although the original cuts burnt.

"Calm down, Sally," she whispered to herself, trying to control her bleeding hands from slipping. Two stories was an awful long way to fall onto cobblestone.

Tentatively, she moved one hand down, grasping onto a section of ivy. Taking that final leap of faith, Sally released her other hand from the window. Her short fall was cut off abruptly as the hand clutching the ivy was yanked forcefully. She felt her shoulder groan in its socket and immediately grasped the vines with her other hand as well. Sally allowed herself a small smile. That wasn't so hard.

  


Relying on upper-body strength alone, Sally slowly began moving her hands down the vines, ignoring the stinging in her fingertips. Once she got a couple of meters down, she released her hands and landed hard on the cobblestone below, her knees bending from the impact. She let out a small "whoop" of triumph, forgetting about her torn-up fingertips.

Hearing footsteps approaching, the young woman immediately ducked into a shadowed corner, knowing that, if the people came too close, her cover would be blown.              

"Do you insist on being obnoxious all the time, Maxwell?" came a strangely familiar voice.

"I'm only obnoxious 'cause you're uptight," came the cheery reply. Sally let out an undignified snort of laughter, her bloodied hands immediately flew to her mouth to try and stifle the noise.

"All right, who's hiding?" came the voice of Duo, all cheeriness lost. "Ya can't hide from the God of Death, so show yerself!"

Stepping into what she presumed was the direction the squires were, Sally placed on a fake, sweet smile.

"Well if it isn't my two favourite trainees!" she said brightly; her sentence was dripping with sarcasm like a honeycomb was drenched in honey.

The braided man grinned at the blonde, his violet eyes lighting up in what appeared to be amusement. His companion, however, scowled, his onyx eyes hardening. The contrast in the two men was astounding. Absently, Sally wondered how they could be friends.

"It looks like she hasn't learned her lesson," Wufei said. His eyes had softened, and he now appeared almost bored, but the slight quirk of his lips showed his amusement.            Duo punched his arm in slight annoyance. 

"What are you doing out here, Lady Sally?" Duo asked lightly, offering the woman a friendly grin.

"Hunting down the man who turned me in so I can kill him painfully and slowly," she informed the two squires, all the while keeping a happy smile on her face, and an amused glint in her eyes. 

Wufei couldn't help the dry chuckle that escaped his lips...at his companion's expense. Duo rubbed the back of his neck guiltily, scraping the toe of his boot against the grey cobblestone. 

"Sorry 'bout that," he said absentmindedly, turning to face her with pleading violet eyes. The result was an absolutely adorable puppy-dog face that no woman with a heart could turn down. "I did it in order to save the squires from doubled punishments and chores. Anyway I can make it up to ya?" Sally's sky blue eyes widened in disbelief.

  


"_You_ turned me in?" she cried dubiously, letting out a wry chuckle. "I expected it from grouchy over there," she exclaimed, jabbing her thumb in Wufei's direction, who scowled at the blonde woman. Her antics earned an appreciative laugh from Duo.

"Well, my lady," the braided man said with a low bow, "how may I pay penance for the sins I have committed towards thee?"

Sally tapped a long finger against her chin thoughtfully, unknowingly smudging blood against her face. The two squires wisely kept their mouths closed.

"I know!" she exclaimed, eyes lighting up. "You can teach me to fight."

Duo rubbed the back of his neck with his hand nervously, violet eyes scanning the ground. His companion simply snorted with a shake of his head. 

"Listen, lady," the chestnut-haired man explained, motioning towards her bloody fingers, "you could barely make it out of your window unscathed. Teaching you to fight wouldn't do you a lick of good." he frowned. "Shouldn't you be inside cleaning or something?" Sally was livid.

"You asked for a way to assuage your act against me," she ground out slowly, trying to keep her anger in place, which was usually something she was quite good at. Usually. "I tell you how you can repay me, and you tell me no. Now, either you teach me to fight, or I'll have Hilde taken to kitchen duty." At Duo's confused look she added, "Maids on kitchen duty aren't allowed outside."

Duo opened his mouth to say something, and then abruptly closed it as his companion interrupted him.

"Conniving woman!" Wufei accused. "You are blackmailing him into doing as you please. We could easily report your absence to Lord Shang and walk away unscathed."

"You could..." Sally drawled slowly, placing her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth slightly. "But doing so would go against your code of honor, now wouldn't it? And," she added, "I could still use my blackmail by telling Hilde to take up cooking duty."

"So you admit it's blackmail?" Duo inquired coyly, a half-smile on his boyish face.

Sally blinked. "Did I say that? I meant selective usage of incriminating information."

Duo nodded slowly. "Riiight...anyway, if I'm going to teach you to fight, we had best get going." He slipped out of his cloak and through it around the blonde woman's shoulders, effectively hiding her gender. He walked in front of her, drawing up beside Wufei.

"You gotta help me," the braided man murmured, low enough so Sally couldn't hear. "How am I supposed to teach a woman to fight?"

  


The Chinese man snorted. "You got yourself into this mess, Maxwell."

"C'mon, Wufei," Duo pleaded, before adding, "you're best at hand-to-hand combat." The violet-eyed man smiled inwardly. Hopefully boosting his ego would help him loosen up...

"Nice try," the ebony-haired man said dryly, accompanied by a low sigh. "But I suppose I'll help. We shall be knighted soon, so our duties will lessen." Duo grinned. The prospect of ending their squire ship was a happy thought, indeed. A sudden thought made Duo frown slightly.

"Hey!" he called over his shoulder to where Sally was walking, still wrapped in the cloak. "How did you know I had met Hilde?" he inquired, catching the smug grin that the cloak hood failed to enshadow.

"Hilde's my best friend," she answered truthfully, watching as Duo's eyebrows rose, disappearing under his bangs. "She tells me just about everything, and I trust her with everything."

Duo fell back from where he was walking with Wufei, falling in step beside the cloaked woman. He watched her out of the corner of his eye.

"So..." he began, "how's Hilde been?"

"Fine," she answered, keeping her voice clipped. If her face had not been covered, Duo would have seen the amused glint in her light blue eyes.

"Has she, uh, said much about me?" he asked, focusing his violet eyes on Wufei's back, who was leading them to a hidden field behind the manor. The field was surrounded by pine trees, which helped conceal it from view.

"Oh, she talks about you all the time," the blonde woman said secretively, picking up her pace so she fell into step beside Wufei. She shot an extremely amused glance over her shoulder at Duo, who couldn't decide whether her last comment was good or bad. The Chinese man was struggling to keep from smiling, for he had heard the whole conversation. Even though he degraded women, he was glad his friend had found someone who made him happy. 

Duo lunged forward suddenly, so he was in step beside Sally and Wufei.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" he inquired with a small amount of indignation, placing his hands on his hips.

"Well now, that is just my little secret, isn't it?" she purred with a small smirk at Duo's abashed face. 

This time, Wufei didn't even try and hide the throaty chuckle that escaped his lips.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The wind slipped through his long platinum hair, twisting and caressing each strand until it waved out behind him like a blonde banner. His ice blue eyes were squinted against the oncoming wind, turning ever so slightly to gaze beside him, where Lucrezia was riding alongside him. Each was mounted on a sleek horse, racing along the beaten forest path. Lucrezia's horse began nosing forward, threatening to pass Zechs. The woman rider threw him a devilish smirk, before fully pulling ahead of him. 

The steeds slowed to a quick trot, before finally calming to an even walk. Now that the beating of hooves and the rushing of the wind were silenced, the two companions were able to hear the telltale sound of running water. Lucrezia slid easily off the horse's back, leading the sturdy mare to the stream for a drink. The blonde man followed suit, tying the reins to a branch so the horse wouldn't stray, but leaving them loose enough for access to the water.

"Have you heard news of the feudal conflict?" Lucrezia inquired, and her voice, though soft, broke the still near-silence that had previously been obtained. Zechs caught the Italian woman's gaze, her deep violet eyes extraordinarily expressive. The young prince felt his heart quicken, and he couldn't have looked away if he had wanted to.

"Yes," he finally answered, breaking away and licking his dry lips. "It doesn't look good for Lord Shang..." Her face crumpled slightly, before contorting into anger. She stormed over to the stream, kicking up water in pure frustration.

"We should be helping them!" Lucrezia cried in indignation. "The Po's have always been our friends!" Zechs grasped her shoulders roughly, wincing as she bit her lip against the gesture.

"Come on, Lucrezia!" he told her forcefully. "You know that is impossible! Your father owes his allegiance to Lord Treize!" The raven-haired woman dropped her gaze, unable to stare into the face of her friend. She had a foolish outburst, and chagrin was settling in.

Zechs's face softened, and he released her shoulders, instead pulling her into a warm embrace. Lucrezia's breath caught in her throat, and she was ashamed to discover her hands were trembling.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," he murmured into her hair. 

"Don't worry about it," she replied, her voice slightly muffled against his chest. Lucrezia closed her eyes, pleased to discover that she could feel his heart thumping against her ear. His heart was beating awfully fast, and his breathing was slightly uneven.

So he feels it too, Lucrezia thought to herself in wonderment. And it was true. He was acutely away of every place that they were touching, and it amazed him how warm she felt. Their rapid hearts beat in unison: an uneasy rhythm that betrayed their own nervousness.

  


With more excitement than apprehension, Lucrezia lifted her head, and her violet eyes beheld the ice blue eyes of Zechs. She literally stopped breathing when he pressed his lips gently against hers. A feeling of warmth spread down her body, and if Zechs hadn't been holding her so tightly, then she would have certainly collapsed by now. Her nerves were working into overdrive by the simple pressure of his mouth on hers, and she leaned against Zechs heavily, not wanting the pleasurable moment to end. Zechs broke the contact, and Lucrezia took a deep, very shaky, breath. 

Most people would probably be embarrassed or shy after their first kiss. Most people would probably turn away and blush. Or, if the experience was unpleasant, some people may even smack their partners.

Lucrezia did none of those things. Instead she smiled, and Zechs saw hope, and something more, beneath her happy exterior. But all conscious thought was swept away as she joined their lips in another sweet kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lord Shang Po paced his study nervously, repeatedly rubbing his chin or wringing his hands...anything to keep his mind occupied. Treize had attacked a small band of knights on the outskirts of a rural town. This wouldn't normally have bothered the feudal lord so much...except for the fact that Treize's knights had then proceeded to burn the town. 

Shang ran a hand through his graying hair. Things certainly did not look good.

"Sir Quinze!" he called sharply, turning to the knight who had been watching the whole episode blankly.

"Yes, milord," he answered, bowing respectfully.

"Knight the remaining squires, we are marching into war!" the lord exclaimed, his fist heaving upwards.

A look of fright crossed Quinze's face, but he quickly masked it with casual indifference. He replied, "As you command, my lord."

A/N: Hmm...so how was that? Sorry people, but Treize is gonna be the "bad-guy" in this story. I'm not gonna make him the typical cynical, cruel and dishonorable bad-guy, so any Treize fans won't totally hate my story. How did ya like the lil Zechs x Noin moment? That was fun to write. This is also gonna have Hilde x Duo and Sally x Wufei, but I haven't really delved into their relationships too much yet. This is also gonna have more of Zechs and Noin...especially since the war is starting. Plus, Zechs can't marry Noin (they're in different classes), but I have to find someway to keep them together, ne? Thanks for reading thus far! Please review!!

Luvvies, KaT aka Mistress Shinigami

  



	5. Gazing on the Scarlet Skies

A/N: Here is chapter five...it's about time, ne? Sorry for the delay, but what with working on Song of the Phoenix and this story–not to mention juggling school and such...well I've been rather busy. I'm typing quite diligently, though...I hope my chapters are up to par with reader expectations. I post my stories to understand what I need to improve, and feedback always helps. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. 

"Gazing at the Scarlet Skies"

Hilde shifted back and forth on her feet in anticipation. Her senses were on their highest alert, straining for sound or sight of anything. Her hands were clasped together in front of her body and her cornflower blue eyes were wide, shifting across the sunlit alley slowly. To anyone passing by it would seem she was waiting for someone...and his or her speculations would prove true. 

A slight tap on her shoulder caused the young woman to start, and she turned around quickly, coming face-to-face with a pair of brilliant violet eyes.

"You're going to kill me, sneaking up on me like that, Duo!" Hilde exclaimed, one hand clutching her heart as if to steady her breathing. She offered him a smile, which abruptly faded as she observed the seriousness lacing his features. 

"Sorry, milady," he murmured, running a hand through his wondrously long hair, pulled back in its signature braid. It always amused Hilde how he called her "milady," even though he was of knighthood, noble blood, while she was a commoner. But now it only disturbed her slightly. 

Ignoring the "milady" comment, Hilde put her speculation into an inquiry. "What's wrong?" she asked. Duo's eyes rose to meet hers and the raven-haired woman was struck by the intensity of his gaze. He seemed to sear her soul, and Hilde felt strangely vulnerable–like everything was out in the open. With a shudder she wrapped her arms around her slim torso. 

"The remaining squires are being knighted soon," he replied, breaking eye contact and looking over her shoulder. "We will be marching into battle on the eve of tomorrow."

A cold chill clutched at Hilde's heart, twisting it painfully in her chest. "But how long will it be until you reach Lord Treize's army?"

Leaning against the wall in a gesture of casualty, but looking anything but casual, Duo replied, "I honestly do not know. Khushrendada's last attack was perilously close to the manor, and Lord Shang wanted to dispose the army as soon as possible." Once again his violet gaze captured Hilde's. "I'm not afraid to die, Hilde." The use of her name captured her attention more than it normally would have. 

  


With bravado backed by nervousness and fear, the German woman took a step closer to the young squire she had only recently begun to understand and know. She couldn't help the slight quaking of her hands and she grasped his hands. His hands felt warm and steady, and she felt weak as her hands trembled in his.

"But–I fear for you," she whispered, not having the courage to look into his eyes. She didn't want to see pity or disgust like she knew she was bound to observe. She couldn't see Duo bite his lip and turn away. But she did feel his hands pull away from hers. Hilde took a shaky breath and started to turn when she felt strong arms envelope her petite body. 

"I don't want to die, Hilde..." he whispered in her ear, his warm breath caressing the tiny curls framing her face. Her own arms came to clutch around his body and the two stood like that for what seemed an eternity. Each holding on to the other like a life line. 

But perhaps they were the other's life line...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sally's footfalls fell silently on the stone, and the young woman moved soundlessly across the sunlit courtyard. Her gender was disguised with a pair of breeches and a long cloak. She moved quickly, not wishing to risk being recognized by one of the knights or squires. It was widely known that the Lord's daughter had made it a habit of sneaking amongst their numbers, and the knights had been more alert than was usual. 

Moving towards an open doorway, sky blue eyes observed a young Chinese man as he knelt gathering his few possessions from underneath a hard cot. His senses were immediately alerted to the presence of the intruder, and he turned to stare at her with hard eyes.

"Duo's not here," Wufei told her, turning back around and occupying himself with piles of belongings. The fighting practice has gone quite well yesterday, and Sally was suppose to meet Duo and Wufei once more for a repeat performance. 

Sally took a few more steps in, coming to squat beside the young squire. She pulled back the hood of her cloak, trusting luck that no one else would walk in and see her.

"Is it true?" the blonde woman asked, looking sidelong at Wufei. "Are the squires being knighted and heading out into battle?" Sally had heard her father discussing battle plans, and her eavesdropping had provided her with valuable information she wouldn't have otherwise been provided. She wasn't required to know such things. 

"Yes," the Chinese man spared her a look, and she was pleased to see him look mildly amused. "I'm curious as to your methods of obtaining such information..." Sally grinned.

"I'm sure you are," she said with a wink, resting her hands on her thighs. Her mood turned serious. "Did you know my father was planning on riding out with you?" His surprised look answered her question, but he responded anyway.

  


"No, I wasn't told that," he admitted, his expression serious. Sally marveled at how his mouth drew down and his brow creased, making him appear older than he really was. It seemed to her that his laugh was a rare occurrence. For some reason that seemed awfully sad to her...

"I'm supposed to run things at the manor while father is absent..." she said quietly, her eyes falling to the floor. "If the attack you ride into fails, the manor will be virtually defenseless." Sally could feel Wufei's ebony eyes gaze intently at her, in that fierce expression he always wore. She was unable to meet his stare.

"Are you frightened?" the ebony-haired squire inquired, his tone anything but accusing. Sally's pride flared up in indignation, but she couldn't deny the underlying terror in her gut. And she didn't think he intended the comment to be an accusation. 

"Lord Treize is said to be honorable," she offered, ignoring Wufei's earlier question. "He wouldn't kill me."

Wufei frowned. "And that doesn't assure you?"

Sally tilted her head, capturing his gaze. "No, not at all. I could never concede to defeat so easily. I would much rather go down fighting." A pair of dark eyebrows drew together.

"Damn your foolish pride, woman!" he admonished.

"Oh, you're one to talk!" she exclaimed in defense, scowling to hide a slight hurt she received from his comment. Was it wrong she wanted to die in battle...like her father surely would?

"I can't deny that," Wufei admitted, and his sudden acceptance quelled Sally's anger, and her defenses lowered once more. Her gaze softened and she turned away. Something made her trust this young man before her, and she decided to tell him of her plans...

"I think I'm going to follow the army..." she told him, wincing as she felt his head snap quickly to look at her in astonishment. Here it comes...

"Stick by Duo and I. You can't get caught again," Wufei said, standing up and slinging a bag over his shoulder. Sally's jaw dropped in pure bewilderment. She had been expecting rebuke, disapproval...

Wufei smirked at her confused stare. "There is no way we can win this battle. I agree with you on your point of not wanting to be under Lord Treize's control. Are you coming or not?" Sally jumped up, thankful for his understanding and acceptance. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

Sally threw her arms around Wufei in a quick hug, noting how he stiffened at the gesture. Foolish, emotional woman, he chided to himself, unable to speak the words aloud. 

  


"Thank you," she whispered, before dashing out the door, throwing her hood over her face. She had to leave before her father gave her the duties for running the manor. True, she was blowing off her responsibilities, but she had never been cut out for rule. She might as well not have a royal bone in her body. She hoped to find closure on the battlefield, and, if she was honest with herself, she knew she wasn't ready. She was less experienced and would die quickly in the war. But she would rather die than live confined.

And maybe she would die standing by her newfound friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lucrezia stood silently, her skin alit in the dying sunlight. The glowing ruby orb was falling over the hill, casting a blood-red hue across the land. Lucrezia was never the suspicious one, but the crimson skies could only signal a bad omen. Her mind wandered to the feudal conflict brewing up, and she wondered nervously how long it would take until the battles ended.

A stale wind stirred the raven lock framing her pretty face, and she pushed them behind her ears in idle annoyance. When her mind was not on the Po's predicament, it inevitably strayed to the flaxen-haired man who held her heart and forever would. She wished adamantly that they could be together, but the conflict of their titles stood in the way. This disheartened the young Italian slightly, but she still attempted to enjoy the time spent with him. If it was all she had, she should enjoy it completely. 

Her violet eyes turned as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, and she caught sight of Zechs standing slightly behind her. 

            "It has started…" he told her, and she didn't need any explanation. The war was starting…Sally, I hope you're okay, she thought to herself, throwing her arms around her body and a sudden chill passed through her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Lord Shang gazed at the army before him, full of proud knights ready to die at a moment's notice. He didn't intend to return from this fight, and the knights knew they were most likely riding to their deaths. Their dedication touched Shang, and he couldn't help a small smile of pride, grim though the times were. 

            He was slightly disappointed he hadn't seen his daughter before they rode off. Perhaps it was best, though, for she always was a smart girl. She understood he wouldn't come back, and a goodbye might have been too tearful. Of course, he was never exceptionally close to his daughter, but most women were emotionally weaker. 

            Shang's gaze took in the deadly beauty of the blood-red sunset. So appropriate. 

A/N: Okies, here's chapter five. I admit, it was shorter than I would have liked. Oh, and before you flame: Shang's comment about women was the general idea of medieval population, when women were considered weaker and such. Oh yeah, and Wufei is allowing Sally to come with them because he understands her predicament, and if he was in her position he would do the same. So he's relating with her. Alrighty, now that we have that cleared up…can I get some reviews? Pretty please?

Luvvies, KaT aka Mistress Shinigami


	6. Ashes, Ashes

A/N: I was gonna start something new...but that was before I realized I really needed to work some more on this fic. And so I decided to start on chapter 6. Forgive me for taking sooo long to get this out. I just began fast pitch softball, and practices are 6 days a week. Not to mention I'm going to Toronto with our choir in May, so rehearsals have been lengthened. I'll try and update more often, though.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

"Ashes, Ashes…"

Sally slipped silently from her room, a long dark cloak concealing her figure. Tonight the knights were riding out to battle, and they would have an extra member among their numbers. Unbeknowst to them, of course. She thrived on secrecy, and the only ones who knew of her plan were Wufei and Duo, and for some reason she felt she could trust the two knights. Call it intuition, or call it stupidity.

Wufei had accepted her story, and he had told her he would tell Duo. Sally had considered informing Hilde of her escape, but immediately declined that notion. The raven-haired woman would most likely follow as well.

Sally didn't want her friend to die in combat, too.

Spinning around a dark corner, the Chinese woman was surprised to find her way blocked by a petite body. She tried to step around, but the person kept placing themselves in front of her. Frustrated to know end, Sally finally lost her cool.

"Why do you not allow me to pass?" she inquired with no small amount of indignation, placing her hands on her hips. The dark cloth from the cloak swished around her slim frame.

"It's not your place to run off with the knights, Sally," and she identified the voice as that of her friend, Hilde Schbeiker. Betrayal seeped through Sally's veins, and she wondered fruitlessly which of the knights had ratted her out. Her 

"Let me by, Hilde," the blonde woman demanded, angry at being denied a glorious death alongside her father. Her teeth ground together, and her fingers clenched and unclenched unconsciously.

"No!" she answered firmly, grasping Sally's shoulders in her hands and shaking slightly. "What is wrong with you?" questioned Hilde, ceasing the shaking. "You were always rational and level-headed. What brought on this bout of stupidity?" Hurt by the statement, Sally pulled away roughly.

  


"It is not stupidity," she replied, keeping her voice even. "I refuse to wait in the manor for defeat, for it will surely come. My minimal amount of freedom will end the moment this manor comes under the power of Lord Treize. You know I could never allow that to happen!" The raven-haired woman crossed her arms over her chest. It was time for some serious psychological talk.

"I'll agree with you on that point," Hilde admitted, drawing a surprised glance from her friend. "But if you follow the nights into battle it would be against everything you believe in. You know for a fact that everyone has their place in society for things to run smoothly. Your place is to run the manor until your father comes back victorious, or Treize brings his knights for battle."

"Yes," Sally hissed sarcastically. "What a glorious Lady of the manor I would make for–oh, about two days."

"You have no faith in your father's army?" Hilde asked, though she already knew the answer. She was simply buying time to convince Sally to stay. She was bargaining for her life.

"I am merely looking at this logically," the other woman replied, her anger dissipating. "Chances are Treize will win. I would rather die trying than wait here until he captures the manor, distributing 'mercy' by allowing me to live." Hilde raised a delicate ebony eyebrow.

"So you would rather die than live?" 

"I would rather die than live imprisoned," she corrected.

"Then you are more of a fool than I thought," Hilde commented with a drawl. Sally leaned against the stone wall leisurely, cooling her temper, which had flared at that comment, with practiced ease.

"What then, oh wise one, would you prefer I do?" she inquired sardonically, gazing at the far wall, her eyes unfocused. All of her emotions were so turbulent and so mixed up. She couldn't tell what she wanted from what she didn't want...and she hated that feeling. It made her helpless and weak. And vulnerable.

 "I say you stick around the manor," Hilde said, leaning on the wall beside her friend. "When you are allowed to live, you can eventually make an escape plan-..." The other woman caught on quickly.

"-and I could travel to Lord Antonio's estate!" Sally finished. If Lucrezia was there she would allow her to hide out. At least until she figured out a way to take back her father's estate...but, of course, she had to assume she could make it out of the manor once it was overtaken, and outride any soldiers Lord Treize might send after her. 

That was a whole lot of assuming. 

Sally stole a glance over at Hilde and saw her face clouded with doubt and worry. She placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  


"I don't want Duo to die," the small German woman stated, her voice merely an ardent whisper. And for the first time that night Sally was able to truly comprehend the enormity of this battle. Duo wouldn't survive the attack. Neither would Wufei. It seemed like too much...too much pressure...too much pain.

Tears slid down Hilde's face, and she curled up into a ball, sliding down the wall until she was seated on the floor. Sally sat down beside her, trying to hold back her own tears.

Just when had she gotten so attached to those two, anyway?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wufei and Duo trudged along side-by-side wearily, their armor weighing heavily on their shoulders. The sweltering temperatures didn't help either, and the two knights were constantly wiping the dripping sweat from their brows. They were forced to be prepared for battle at all times; they could meet up with Lord Treize's army any day now. Death seemed to loom in front of them, like an ominous, cursed rain cloud. They were walking right into the storm.

Each of the knights grasped horse reins in their hands, leading the animals right into the breeding-ground of death. Up ahead, Wufei heard shouts, and he knew–without hearing–that the scouts had returned. Treize's army was right up ahead.

"This is it, Wufei," Duo stated, swinging up onto his horse's back with more ease than the armor should have allowed. He lifted his spear in one arm, gaze fixed straight ahead.

Wufei swung onto his own horses back, his own spear grasped tightly in his fist. Up ahead, the sound of the battle starting spurred the young man's adrenaline. He spurred his horse's sides, advancing forward. "I'm not dying yet!" he called over his should to the braided man, who let out a whoop and followed after.

Knights clashed against knights as the two armies collided, strength against strength, fury against fury. In the clashing uproar of the battle, it was extremely difficult to tell one's comrade from one's enemy. Wufei thrust the sharpened tip of his spear into an oncoming knight, before wrenching it out and shoving it into another one. They just kept coming.

"I am the God of Death!" he heard Duo's shout from up ahead. "And I am back from Hell!"

Wufei was forced to hop off of his horse as an arrow speared the poor beast in its side. Blood burst forth from the wound, and Wufei threw his spear at the archer, who was not far away. The archer knight fell to the spear, and the Chinese man unsheathed his sword at the loss of his spear.  

  


"Lord Shang, I challenge you to a one-on-one duel!" Wufei turned to the voice and saw a tall man standing proud, his ginger hair immaculate despite the bloody and vicious battle going on around him. A few meters away was Lord Shang, who took a few paces closer to the tall man who had challenged him.

"Lord Treize, I accept your challenge," Shang stated calmly, standing tall with his sword gripped tightly in his right hand. The knights around the lords were oblivious, continuing to slaughter one another. Wufei, on the other hand, could only watch as the Lords' swords clashed together, before swinging apart, only to clash together once more.

What came next happened in slow motion. A mounted knight in front of Wufei was struck in the neck with an arrow; the knight fell from his horse, spluttering blood and crashing an unsuspecting Wufei into the ground. Another body fell on top of them as well, until the Chinese knight was buried under two bodies. He was in a perfect position to watch as Lord Treize rammed his sword into Shang's unprotected side. The Lord fell to the ground, clutching the bleeding wound, before finally lying still.

Wufei struggled underneath the bodies, before pausing to take a look around him. The battle had stopped, and the remaining knights stood around their victorious leader. Their weary bodies bent slightly against the ashen sky. A few of the men set about to look for injured comrades. 

"Loyal soldiers!" Treize called, standing after wiping his blade clean on the grass. "We ride to the manor! Once we seize the stronghold I will send out a team to retrieve our fallen companions!" 

Cheers arose from the remaining soldiers at their leader's words. They had reason to cheer, for they had won the battle. Though he had known it was inevitable, Wufei was ashamed that they had not been victorious…he had expected to die…

Shock raced through the young knight.

He was alive...but they lost the battle.

TBC...


	7. We All Fall Down

A/N: Sorry it took awhile. Classes are almost over, so updates should come more often…*crosses fingers* Hopefully…

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. I am not making any money off of this measly fic. 

"We All Fall Down"

Sally sat on the windowsill in her room, eyes vacantly looking out into the horizon. The knights had marched out hours ago, and it was only a matter of time before Treize's army made a move against the manor. Buildings obstructed her vision, but she could get a basic lookout on those entering the court square outside the manor. The fading daylight cast a gloom about the room, adding sparkle to her glossy eyes. So much was happening at once...and it was so hard to keep track. 

Hilde had been in a frenzy all day, one minute crying over Duo, the next minute bustling around in preparation for the battle that would take place much closer...and nothing the tawny-haired lady did would calm her frantic friend. So the two women separated themselves: Sally sat in contemplative silence, thinking about everything and nothing all at once. Hilde had run off on some odd job or another, doing her very best to keep busy. She really couldn't blame the maid, who had possessed a strange, yet close relationship with Duo. 

The setting sun, normally a healthy, relaxing gold now seemed to be a pool of crimson blood bathing both the sky and the earth. In the distance, Sally could just make out great bursts of light, almost as if the setting sun was reflecting off of metal...

Sally jumped off the windowsill and onto the floor of her room as if she'd been burnt. Metal!? Treize's army must be approaching. Growing anxious, the young woman ran out of her room, intent on finding her friend. The halls were empty as many servants had left, and some had gone into hiding. There was so much to do...Treize was coming...her father...

"Hilde?!" Sally called out loudly, cupping her hands around her mouth to magnify the sound. "Hilde?! Hilde, where are you?!" No reply was forthcoming, so she continued running the corridors, shouting for her friend.

Running towards the courtyard doors of the manor, Sally poked her head out the window. She could now distinctly make out people walking towards the manor. The banner in front was a deep navy; the banner of the Po manor was a scarlet, so that could only mean one thing...

"Treize is coming..." Her father was dead. Tears sprung to Sally's eyes, sliding down her cheeks and into her mouth. The saltiness was bitter to her, and she turned away from the window, walking into a side room of the corridor. Inside a beautiful blade rested against a velvet cushion. The young woman opened the case and took the sword out, holding it shakily in one hand. 

Her father was dead, the knights were dead...they had all fought bravely defending the manor–**this **manor. And that's how she would die: fighting. She would wait in her room with the blade, and she would fight–keep fighting–until they killed her. She walked down the hall to her room, where she had left the door open. 

She was unprepared for the arm that wrapped around her neck and covered her mouth, nor was she prepared for the arm that pinned her arms to her waist, rendering her immobile. The sword dropped to the ground uselessly, making a thud against the cushiony rug. 

  


"Don't scream. You have to get out of here, Sally," said an oddly familiar voice in a hiss, hot air brushing against the back of her neck and sending chills all down her spine. She pulled against the arms and they released her. She whirled around...

"Oh my God..."

_Wufei..._

Unable to stop herself, she threw her arms around him in a quick hug, releasing him almost immediately. It was so relieving that someone–on her side!–was alive. She wouldn't have to fight alone anymore...she wouldn't...

"I thought everyone had died..." she whispered, in awe of the former squire in front of her. He ignored her comments, his expression hard and anxious. 

"You have to get out of here **now, **Sally!" he reiterated, shaking her shoulders slightly to wake her out of her shock. He added, "I'm going with you. Hilde, too...she's in the stables all ready. We have to go to Lord Antwan." Sally shook her head, coming to her senses.

"We cannot," she told him. "Lord Antwan is King Peacecraft's guest for the time being." She had heard from her father of Lord Antwan and Lucrezia's visit to King Peacecraft. At the time, she had been glad for the safety of her friend. 

"Minor difficulty," Wufei said quickly, leading the woman over to her bedroom window. "We'll take you to the king's castle, then! We just cannot remain here." She nodded, swinging a leg over the window and beginning to climb down the ivy vines. Once both her and Wufei had reached the ground, she turned to him in question once more.

"What about–"

"Hilde already has knapsacks with a few belongings," he answered before she could even ask, earning a peculiar look from Sally. Uselessly, the young woman followed behind him, darting glances every once in awhile towards the oncoming soldiers. If they were seen...

A thought suddenly struck her, like a punch square in her gut. It winded her. She was running away...running away like–like a scared puppy. She was fleeing from Treize, rather than face him squarely and bravely. The sudden onslaught of guilt caused her to stop mid-stride, and Wufei turned to her, looking slightly annoyed. 

"I'm running away..." she whispered, ashamed.

"There are times to be strong and there are times to be smart," Wufei whispered harshly, yanking on her arm to keep her moving. "I learned that the hard way, so just trust me for once!" The stables were just ahead, and Hilde was there, too, leading the reins of two horses. The woman's cornflower blue eyes were slightly bloodshot, but she handed the reins of a dappled gray horse to Sally without hesitation. The German woman mounted a chestnut horse herself. 

  


Sally slipped her foot into the stirrup, pulling herself up onto the mare's back. Wufei chose that moment to emerge on a tall roan, kicking the horse lightly in his sides to move him into a trot. Sally followed after quickly, turning to see Hilde right behind her. The pace picked up as they left the manor's cobblestone ground in favour of the countryside's grassy hills. Ahead of her, Sally could see Wufei's back, as well as his horse's tail whipping out with the wind, like a banner. The adrenaline pumping through her from the quick ride was almost enough to make her forget about her father's death...

But the strange thing was that Sally wasn't totally sorrowful...there was relief, too...

_Wufei was alive..._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A tall figure sat mounted on a shadowy black horse, his form concealed in a long black cape. The hood was pulled up over his face, hiding any features that might have been visible. He gazed at the small town up ahead, the golden light from the houses' windows creating a warm feeling. The warmth didn't spread through to the man, though. It was almost as though he was set apart from it all…

In all actuality, he was lucky to be alive at all. But he didn't care. All of his friends had died…and the woman he loved was going to die, too. What was left for him…what mattered to him…what should he do…?

He felt like he had lost everything... all that mattered was...

A thought struck him.

_Nothing mattered..._

Digging his heels into the horse's sides he rode off at a canter, hoping to find the town's inn and tavern.              


	8. Bleak Twilight, Bleak Hopes

A/N: Summer is finally here, and I've been writing **so** much more than I did during the school year. I started working on this immediately after I finished Chapter 11 for Song of the Phoenix. I finally found a title for this fic: Battle of the Heart.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

                                                                                                             "Bleak Twilight, Bleak Hopes"

            The landscape was bleak. The oncoming twilight came slowly, the sun fading into a grayish sky. The trio of traveling companions each silently wished for night to just seep in. Even the blackness would be better than this neutral, desolate atmosphere. It put a damper on their all ready low spirits. 

            Wufei led the small company, astride a roan horse. His head stared straight ahead, and he looked for any signs of the village he knew was somewhere nearby. It wouldn't be wise to lead two women through the countryside in the depths of the night. Even if they made it past the thieves, there was no telling what wild animals they would encounter. To top it all off, the fatigue from his lengthy battle left him weary, and sorrow at having lost his best friend pained him deeply. He silently wished that there had been enough time to sift through the dead and locate Duo. Then again, some things are best left unknown. 

            Sally rode behind the Chinese squire, stroking her horse's dappled coat absently. She tried to take comfort from the animal, but she could not repress the tightening in her throat or the stinging in the back of her eyes. The enormity of the situation was enough to drive anyone to tears. Her father was dead…Duo was dead, too. The salty tears dried in the rapidly cooling air. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her body, but it did not help the chill in her bones. 

            Hilde brought up the rear, and looked the worst of the lot. She wore only black clothes, and had packed for herself only black clothes. It was her way of mourning, and she just didn't think the pain would ever go away. It was more than an ache; it was a sharp pang in her chest, and her attention was constantly drawn to that pain. It was such agony that she wanted to do nothing more than curl up in a fetal position and die. Instead, she just let her tears fall unbidden, fighting against the pain, and trying not to let it consume her. It seemed a losing battle, though. 

            The women's horses slowed their pace to match the speed of the horse ahead of them. Soon, Wufei halted his horse, and Sally and Hilde followed suit. His gaze was concentrated up ahead, where a town lay resting in quiet slumber. Golden lights from a few of the houses lit up the area, giving it an inviting, welcoming look. They had a panoramic view of the city, which rested beneath a large hill they stood atop of. 

            "We'll stop at the inn tonight," Wufei told them, his voice sounding oddly hoarse and out of place among the still night air. The gray in the sky was finally dwindling, bringing on the dark of night. A crescent moon cut across the sky, shining down upon them with a waning, silvery light. 

            "What if I'm recognized?" the tawny-haired woman questioned, shooting the man a glance. The faint moonlight reflected off the dry, salty paths her tears had taken. Seeing the streaks brought a sudden pang to Wufei's chest, but he immediately dispelled it. Instead, he brought out a small knapsack, tossing it towards Sally, who caught it effortlessly. Upon opening it she discovered a pair of breeches and a hat. 

            "Since you like traipsing around as a boy so much, you can disguise yourself as one," he informed her. Ignoring the biting remark, she dismounted her horse, handing the reins to Wufei before walking behind a tree and putting the clothes on quickly. She frowned when she realized she had nothing to bind her breasts with. She couldn't ask Wufei…and Hilde looked so forlorn…she didn't want to bother her. So, Sally opted for just wearing the loose cloak, wrapping it around her torso. She tucked her hair underneath the cap, emerging from behind the tree and re-mounting her horse. She shot a glance at Hilde, who was refusing to meet anyone's gaze. 

            The trio soon came in front of a building that doubled as both an inn and a tavern. Hopping off his horse, Wufei reached up and rang the bell on the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The cloaked man took a long sip of his ale, his eyes alert over the rim of his cup. He sat, occupying a corner table and watching the group of drunks around him with distaste. He swallowed quickly as the burning liquid traveled down his throat. His hood was drawn over his head, casting his face in shadows. A fire flared up in the center of the room, and lanterns were hung around the room—in safe placed where some klutz wouldn't knock one over and light up the whole town. The lights gave the room a soft, golden glow. But the lights didn't take away the smell of alcohol, or the noises of rowdy customers. 

The man looked towards the door as he heard the bell ring. He scoffed.

            'Great, another group of drunks,' he thought to himself, watching as the burly innkeeper bustled over to open the door and welcome the new guests. The innkeeper was a man that smelled like garlic, and didn't smile too much. But this was a reliable inn, and it was the only one in town. 

            "The stable boy, 'ere will take care o' ye 'orses," the innkeeper told the group, and the cloaked man perked up slightly. Horses? These people must be traveling through...like he was. But he really sat up and took notice when he heard a familiar voice speak up. 

            "Do you have any vacancies?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Do you have any vacancies?" Wufei questioned, his obsidian eyes traveling lazily over the group of men in the tavern, which came right off of the lobby. He needed to be sure and quickly get the two women upstairs…there were too many drunken men here. 'It must be a town hot-spot,' he mused to himself. 

            "I got two rooms open," the innkeeper told him, placing his fists on his hips. "One for ya two gentlemen 'n one for the lady." Wufei tried not to wince at this. He forgot that Sally was garbed as a boy still, and sleeping in the same room as her was definitely **not** a good idea. He would have to sneak her into the room with Hilde later on.

 Sally and Hilde watched as the two men discussed, but both turned their gazes towards the tavern section when they saw a man get up and walk towards them. They couldn't see his face, because he had a hooded cloak on, placing his features in shadow. But something about the slight smirk visible seemed familiar. Sally tapped Wufei on the shoulder, who turned in annoyance to see what was the matter. All three watched as the man pulled his hood back, drawing a startled cry from Sally, and a sharp gasp from Wufei. Hilde slammed her body against the man's in a fierce hug, bright cornflower blue eyes tearing up. 

            "Duo!" she cried joyfully.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Lucrezia curled her knees up to her chest from her seated position on a cushiony chair. She wrapped her arms around her legs, hugging them to her chest. Her chin rested atop her knees, beautiful violet eyes gazing emptily into space. 

            The room was one of the many at the Peacecraft castle. Its dim lighting and rich, warm colours made it one of the more inviting rooms, but the young Italian did not feel welcomed or comforted at all. Her gaze snapped up when she heard the door open, and a tiny smile flitted across her face when she saw it was Zechs, but the smile soon faded. He sat across from her, not bothering to hide his concern.

            "I heard that Treize won the war," Noin whispered softly after a slight hesitation. What little hope she had died when Zechs nodded in confirmation. She took in a deep, shaky breath, hiding her face in her knees. 

            "I heard something else that—might be of interest to you," the man said after a pause, watching as Lucrezia lifted her head slowly and looked into his eyes. Despite his guesses, her cheeks were dry. Her head nodded slowly: a silent command to continue. Zechs licked his lips and said, "It turns out that Sally's gone missing." 

            Her jaw went slack, and she stared at the prince in surprise. "What? Gone missing?" she questioned with incredulity.

            Zechs nodded. "Yes. She wasn't present at the manor when Treize took over. He issued a search to find her, and sent spies out covertly to try and locate her. He doesn't want the whole kingdom knowing, in hopes that he'll catch her off guard."

            Noin smiled nervously, gripping the material of her dress tightly. "I don't know what to think about that. Should I be happy or sad?" 

            He simply shrugged. "I cannot tell you how to feel, but I think she's gone into hiding." He frowned slightly as he saw Lucrezia shake her head, and then smile at his confusion. 

            "I don't think she's gone into hiding," she told him, her expression enigmatic. 

            Zechs was tired of being in the dark. "Then what do you think she's doing?" On impulse, Lucrezia reached out and combed her fingers through Zechs's hair, twirling a few flaxen locks around her finger. She smiled, her dark violet eyes lighting up mischievously. 

            "I think she's going to be paying us a visit very soon."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Duo smiled down at the young woman in his arms, stroking her short hair softly. Sally and Wufei continued to stare at him in shock, while Hilde cried helplessly against his chest, clutching onto him as tightly as she could.

            "I thought you were dead," she whispered. The braided man just "shushed" her, continuing to stroke her hair. He glanced up, smiling at the two just standing there. 

            "So, you made it out, too?" he asked rhetorically, directing the question at Wufei. The Chinese man nodded in affirmation, glancing over to the innkeeper, who was standing stock-still, dumbstruck. Wufei frowned slightly.

            "It's good to see you again, Duo," Sally said, smiling brightly for the first time that day. The former squire nodded to her in return. 

            "Great to see you, too, Sa—"

            "It's getting late," Wufei interjected, shooting Duo a stern glance, who seemed to realize his mistake. The violet-eyed man nodded, pulling Hilde from his embrace gently, only to grin as he caught her gaze.

            "We can talk tomorrow on the road," Duo told the two girls. They both nodded, and the trio made their way upstairs to the rooms while Wufei paid for the boarding. 

A/N: Ya'll didn't really think I would kill Duo, didja? Oh, and congrats to Winter's Roar and Callisto Nicol who easily guessed who the "cloaked man" was. Thank you **so** much everyone for the kind reviews so far. I hope you continue to review (hint, hint). 

Luvvies, KaT


	9. You Can't Die On Me

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I've been rather busy with updates to this story **and** to SotP. Hehe, I love abbreviations. …er…Anyway, here's the next installment. I hope it's up to par. (Why do people say "up to par" anyway? I mean, in golf you want to try and get the lowest score…so wouldn't it make more sense if the phrase was "down to par?") I hope this chapter is down to par! 

Oh yeah, and this chapter is dedicated to Winter's Roar…because it contains the action scene she's been asking for. I hope it's "down to par." Hehe. 

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Never will. It's a hard-knock life, huh?

                                                                                                            You Can't Die On Me

            The company left the inn early the next morning, after a quick breakfast consisting mostly of leftovers from the night before. The horses saddled and well rested, the troupe made their way towards King Peacecraft's castle, where they hoped to encounter Lord Antwan and Lady Lucrezia. The dusky dawn that rose to greet them was much the same as the hazy twilight from the night before. But there was one difference between those two times that made the ride slightly more sufferable. 

            Now they consisted of one more member. 

            Duo sat astride a lean, black stallion. He was talking in hushed tones to Hilde, who rode beside him on her horse; she appeared much happier now that her braided friend had returned. The twosome hung back slightly from Sally and Wufei, who rode front-to-back in silence. The whispered words and the clopping of hooves were the only sounds that broke the air, excluding of course, the ever constant chirping of birds rising for the morning. 

            With one day behind them, Wufei's high-strung, adrenaline-fed attitude had diminished. Having one day behind them—one day ahead of Treize—allowed him to adopt a faint feeling of comfort. He felt like the most dangerous leg of the journey was behind them, but he couldn't be sure. After all, he wasn't quite sure how Lord Antwan and his daughter, Lady Lucrezia, could help out the cause of Sally, a maid, and a couple of knights. Once Treize learned of their whereabouts he would surely attack Antwan, rather than give Sally the chance to fight back and take back her father's throne. Not that she had the power to do so, but better safe than sorry. 

            Sally felt slightly better at the return of Duo—in fact, his presence made her happy, since she had assumed he had died in battle. In her foolishness, she had begun to hope that perhaps her father had escaped from battle with his life as well. Wufei had shred her desperate thoughts when he told her early this morning that he had seen Shang fall with his own eyes. But perhaps reality was better than being disappointed by hoping against hope. And no matter how she tried, her father's death put a heavy damper over Duo's return. 

            The group was aware that Treize wouldn't allow Sally's flight to go unhindered. They were wary each and every turn, looking over their shoulders for signs of pursuit. News of Lady Sally's flight was bound to have reached the public ear by now, so towns weren't safe; every person throughout the kingdom would be on the lookout for runaway nobility, unless Treize resorted to spies and informants.

            Sally had been confused as to why Treize might work in secret, and she had come to Wufei with her question. 

            _"He wants us to let our guard down." He had told her. "Try and make us think we're home free. He wants us to slip-up."_

And now, the tawny-haired woman was bound and determined **not** to slip-up. Despite her attitude a mere twenty-four hours ago, Sally **didn't** want to die. In fact, her desire to live burned within her, fueled by her lust for revenge. No one had the right to kill her father and live where he had once ruled; it didn't seem fair. She glanced up in front of her, seeing Wufei stiffen visibly on his horse. He stopped suddenly, and Sally's heart sped up fearfully. She stopped when she drew up beside him, hearing Duo and Hilde cease their chatter.

            She caught his onyx eyes, her expression slightly worried. "Wufei, why have we stopped?" she whispered in query. He broke away from her stare, his eyes darting to the small forest to their right. 

            "The birds have gone quiet," he whispered, his enigmatic attitude heightening Sally's fear. Was someone nearby…one of Treize's minions? What if they found her?

            Wufei's deep eyes widened suddenly, and he turned to Sally and smacked her horse on the rear to set it off at a gallop. "Run!" he called after her, and over her horse's hooves she could hear Hilde's piercing scream. There was danger, and he wanted her to runaway. She frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. 

            'I can't leave my friends,' she thought, anger rising within her. She pulled on the reins, turning her horse back towards the trio…what she saw stunned her. 

            Duo was fighting two men off, blocking Hilde from their swords. He had his own sword out, and was making a valiant attempt in the two against one scenario. Hilde had no weapon, and therefore no way of defending herself against the blades of the foes. 

            Wufei was fighting against one swordsman. When there was a break in the fighting he shot her an angry glance, motioning for her to keep riding. Sally's stare broke away from the young knight when she saw a fourth man moving towards her, a toothy grin on his face and a gleaming sword in his hand. Her fingers gripped tightly into the horse's reins, watching the oncoming swordsman uneasily. She was useless without a weapon!

            But she needed to save her friends, and there was only one way to do it. "Hey!" she called loudly, her voice clearly audible above the clashing and clanging of the heavy metal. "It's me you want, and I'm getting away!" She heard a shout from Hilde and a cry of outrage from Wufei. Seeing the men break away from the fights, she turned and spurred her horse into the forest. The animal stumbled against the thick undergrowth, and Sally felt small twigs snapping against her face as she rode. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, and she spurred her horse faster. There was no way they could catch her…she was horseback and they were running on foot. 

            Suddenly her horse let out a bleating, strangled cry, and the sound sent shivers down her spine, covering her skin in goose bumps. The animal stumbled and fell on its front knees, sending Sally flying forward off the saddle, landing unceremoniously in a heap on the forest floor. She felt bumped and bruised, but nothing seemed to be broken. A groan escaped her dry lips. 

            Blood poured from the side of her poor horse, drenching the cold ground a dusty crimson. The animal lay on her side, an arrow protruding sickeningly. Her sides heaved up and down sharply, her breath coming out in gasping sounds through her nostrils and mouth. Sally crouched beside the fallen mare, her smoky blue eyes scanning the forest for signs of the archer who felled her horse. What she saw chilled her to the bones. 

            One of the swordsmen was coming towards her, his blade raised. But that wasn't what struck her as terrifying. What caused her heart to stop was the scarlet blood dripping from the end. Fear caught her heart in a tenacious grip. _Whose blood was that?_

            As the man approached her, Sally hardened her resolve and braced herself to fight. When he went to attack her she used her seated position on the ground to kick up at the man's wrist, satisfied when the sword went sailing out of his unsuspecting hands; it landed not ten yards away from the pair. 

Sally scraped her fingers against the ground in her haste to stand up and sprint towards the fallen weapon. She could feel her blood pumping in her ears, along with the thudding of her attacker's chase. She was closing in on the blade when she felt something heavy thrown against her back, sending her flying forward. She cried out as she saw the ground rush up to greet her, and the sudden impact and combined weight on her back caused the air to go rushing out of her lungs. 

The man crushed her to the ground with his weight, and the loss of her breath made her unable to cry out for one of her companions. He yanked on her hair, pulling her face from the ground and freeing her throat to attack, and Sally's eyes widened in horror when she felt a dagger being pressed to the tender flesh of her throat. 

"If you scream even once, wench, then I'll tear apart your pretty little neck," the man hissed harshly, yanking on her hair for effect. His elbow was digging into her back, and she attempted to wriggle away from the pain, but to no avail. All she could manage was a pathetic whimper. 

She heard a familiar shout from behind her, and in a moment the weight on her back was gone, and Sally turned over immediately, scrambling to her feet. Wufei had come, and he had thrown the man off her back, and was now facing him, sword raised. A strangled gasp escaped her lips as she saw the deep, gaping gash that dampened Wufei's side. He was bent over from fatigue, but his glare at the man never wavered. 

"Run, damnit!!" Wufei demanded of her once more, and in this split second the attacker was able to make a grab for his sword. Sally cursed herself for not getting there sooner, and her fists clenched angrily at her sides, shaking in silent fury. 

'There's no way Wufei will be able to take on this guy,' she thought, watching closely as the Chinese man forced himself to raise his sword, wincing slightly as the motion opened his wound even wider. The burly attacker advanced on the knight, throwing all his weight into a hefty thrust, which was parried with difficulty. Sally glanced around wildly for a way to help out her companion. 

'Think, Sally,' she told herself, tying to calm her overdriving nerves. 'Keep your composure. Think!' Turning away from the battle, Sally spotted a large branch that had fallen and was now decomposing in the earth. Grasping the grimy branch, she turned towards the dueling pair, her eyes widening in horror. 

The attacker had just knocked Wufei to the ground, disarming him from his sword. He raised his blade, ready to deliver the final blow. 

But it never hit home.

Sally swung the hefty branch with all her might, and it connected firmly in the man's side, which was unprotected since he had raised his sword with his arms. The contact made a sickening thud, and the woman swore she heard the crack of a few of his ribs in the process. The desired result was achieved; he dropped his sword immediately, falling to the ground with the force of the blow. Wufei didn't waste a second. Using his diminishing strength, he grabbed his fallen weapon and stabbed the man in his chest, watching with half-lidded eyes as blood flowed freely from the new chest wound. The man had just enough time to let out a gargling gasp before he dropped to the forest floor. 

Then Wufei fell to the ground, unmoving. 

Letting out a startled cry, Sally ran towards the knight, noticing that his eyes were closed, and he was unconscious. She yanked off her cloak and pressed it tightly against the open wound, hearing him hiss in pain involuntarily as the rough fabric was shoved against the tender flesh. Keeping the cloth pressed with one hand, she used her other to smack Wufei's cheek lightly. 

"Wake up!" she commanded. "Wake up _now_, Wufei!" Anxiousness caused her voice to come out harsher than she intended. 

Slowly, his eyelids slid open to reveal his opaque obsidian orbs. He let out a great, shuddering cough, followed by another. Sally flinched when blood spurted from his mouth, hitting her in the face. A slow droplet dripped down his chin, and the woman quickly wiped it away with her hand, pressing even tighter against his wound. 

"Aaah…" Wufei groaned, eyelids half shut in weariness. "That doesn't feel particularly good, Sally." She smiled at his sarcasm, thankful that he wasn't delirious yet. 

"Just say awake…you know, I can't believe you lost in a swordfight," she said lightly, her tone slightly condescending. But really her words were just of relief…and more than a little fear. He was losing too much blood. 

"Humph," he growled weakly. "I'm not dead yet." At these words a slow, frightened shudder rippled along Sally's spine, and she could feel the colour drain from her face. Her terror intensified when his eyes began to close once more. She leaned over him, grabbing his face with both hands. 

"Don't close your eyes!" she told him sternly, watching as he struggled with staying awake. But, against her fervent wishes, his eyes slid shut, and he welcomed unconsciousness gratefully. She tried shaking him lightly. "Wake up!"

A twig snapped. Sally froze where she was positioned, leaning over the knight. Before she could turn and survey the area, she felt something blunt and hard smash into the back of her skull. She let out a cry as her vision was blackened at the corners, and the force sent her falling on top of the unconscious Wufei. Her vision heady and dizzying, she only had time to grasp on tightly to the body underneath her and tense her muscles before the second blow hit. 

Her vision blackened fully, and she remembered no more. 

TBC…

Please, please review!!!


	10. Phantoms of the Forest

A/N: Sorry for the evil ending last chapter. Here's more. I'm working on about five chapters for five different stories right now, thus the ungodly amount of time I'm taking to update. Also, I have a way of adding Heero and Relena into this story. Should I?

Disclaimer: I do not, have not, cannot, will not, and have no chance of ever owning Gundam Wing or any of its characters. 

                                                                                                                        "Phantoms of the Forest"

            Throbbing pain. The white-hot pain was all Sally could think about. She scrunched her eyes shut against the throbbing in her head, but still felt as if a searing pain was consuming her head. She would have whimpered against the onslaught, had her throat and mouth not felt extremely dry and croaky. So she remained silent in her own little torturous hell…but maybe it was for the better. Two voices broke through the pain, but they were vague and distant. Sally concentrated on the sounds, trying to fully regain her consciousness. Soon she heard words forming, rather than garbled sounds.

            "We need to find the other two!" one male voice insisted. The other man clearly objected. 

            "We need to get out of here as soon as we can, Mueller!"

            The first man, Mueller, said, "If we take off now, this girl's companions are sure to come for her. We can't afford another fight, especially with your skills at swordsmanship. So we need to find them before they find us." The other man seemed to ignore the barb. 

            "Our orders were to capture the girl. We got the girl, so we shouldn't waste anymore time!" the second voice insisted, unrelenting in his persistence. 

            Mueller let out a low growl, becoming angry with the other man. Sally held her breath as she waited for them to continue. Their choice would most likely determine her fate. She silently cursed herself for becoming captured, and letting her guard down. The young woman tried to slit open her eyes without drawing attention to herself. The light was fading, meaning that nighttime was coming all ready. The two men were seated away from her, so they couldn't see her movements. She tried moving her arms, finding they were tied together behind her back. Her ankles were tied, as well. 

            "The black-haired man's about dead, anyway. The braided man and the woman ran off somewhere," the second voice said, trying to sound convincing. "We won't get any trouble from a woman, and a man that _looks_ like a woman. Let's just get the hell outta here!"

            "If they aren't any trouble, then how'd they kill Jonathon _and_ Kenneth?" Mueller questioned dryly. "What's with you, anyway, Alex? Why so anxious to leave?" The other man, Alex, didn't reply for a while, and Sally was ready to think he would just ignore the question when he spoke up. 

            "It's getting dark," Alex said slowly, uncertainty creeping into his voice. 

            Mueller snorted. "You afraid of the dark?"

            "No!" Alex exclaimed sharply. "But have you heard the stories 'bout this forest? Folks say it's _haunted_."

            "Chicken shit," Mueller muttered disgustedly, turning his head away from his fellow soldier. 

            "Maybe," the other man countered heatedly. "But we'll see who's 'chicken shit' when you try and fight a ghost with your sword, now won't we?" Mueller appeared unfazed. 

            "I don't believe in ghosts; you're just being an idiot. Now, let's find those other two, and then we can get out of this _haunted forest_." He said these last two words with utmost sarcasm and contempt. The other man didn't respond, apparently relenting. Suddenly, shouts of terror echoed throughout the forest, and Sally sat up abruptly, glancing at the two men who were staring at a tree, horror written on their faces. An arrow was protruding from the tree's trunk, quivering slight from its sudden halt. 

            "I told you!" Alex hissed angrily, his hand gripping his sword hilt tightly, white knuckles shaking. 

            "Ghosts don't shoot arrows, you ass," Mueller ground out through clenched teeth, recovering from his momentary shock. "I told you those other two were gonna come for us."

            "They aren't archers," Sally said, and the two men turned surprised gazes to her at her sudden statement. Her voice was dry and her lips were cracked. She said again, "Those two didn't even have a bow and arrow."

            "Shut your mouth!" Alex growled angrily, his composure shaken even further. He raised his hand to hit the rope-bound woman. A slight _whoosh_ sound reverberated through the air, and Alex landed in a crumpled heap in front of Sally, an arrow sticking up sickeningly from his back. 

            "Phantom archers," Mueller whispered, buying into his dead companion's haunted forest assertion at last, though it was too late to save Alex. He ran towards Sally, gripping her arm and dragging her to her feet. She struggled, but was easily overpowered, the restraints on her arms and legs making her weak. "Hold still!" Unsheathing a dagger, Mueller bent and slashed at the ropes binding her ankles. She stumbled; the ropes had cut off her circulation. He kept his grip on her arm, and tried to drag her after him as he ran through the forest.

            "Let go!" the woman demanded furiously, using her newly freed legs to swipe Mueller's feet from beneath him. Unsuspecting, the man went crashing to the ground. He made a grab at Sally's ankles, and she jumped away in the nick of time. He clambered to his feet angrily, his intense glare searing towards the woman. But he had forgotten about the 'phantom archer.' A shadow jumped down from above, landing in front of Sally, and blocking Mueller's path. In the rapidly dimming light, Sally could only make out the new form's silhouette. She trusted in luck that it was an ally. 

            Mueller turned away from the person, fleeing through the forest noisily, heedless of all rationality. Alex's apprehensive nature about the forest had unintentionally seeped into his companion, and the sudden appearance of this 'ghost' was enough to send the poor man running. The tall shadow sprinted nimbly after the frightened man. Sally took a deep, shuddering breath, and jumped despite herself when another shadow appeared from the trees in front of her, holding up its hands in a pacifying gesture.  

            "We're here to help," a gentle, male voice told her, stepping into a shock of moonlight and allowing her to discern his face. He had bright blonde hair, and his aquamarine eyes were gazing at her kindly. Sally held still as he bent towards her to cut the rope binding her hands. She didn't believe the crock about ghosts like the other men did, but she also wasn't foolish enough to immediately trust a stranger who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. 

            "Do you know where my companions are?" she queried, rubbing her raw and aching wrists. 

            "Yes. Will you allow me to take you to them?" Sally paused, hesitating in her reliance of this stranger. 

            "All right." What did she have to lose?

            The blonde man led her through the forest, like he had done it millions of times before. Even in the dark of the night, he was able to keep from stumbling over roots and undergrowth. He held onto Sally's hand, weaving her around trees and boulders and vines, all with the expertise of one who could see perfectly well in the blackness…or one who had the place memorized to a 't'. 

            He stopped when he came to the base of a massive tree. He released Sally's hand, jumping quite high in spite of his height, and grasping onto the lowest branch, hauling himself up…and he did all this while retaining a kind of natural grace. He continued climbing the tree, higher and higher, until he disappeared from Sally's view. The tawny-haired woman stood there awkwardly, gazing up, and yet unable to see the tow-headed man. She started slightly when a rope ladder suddenly appeared in her vision, dangling from the tree. 

            "Climb on up, Sally!" The woman froze; that was Hilde's voice! Grasping the highest rung she could reach, Sally hauled herself up quickly, ignoring her stiff, aching limbs. Once she was dizzyingly high up in the tree, she came to a wooden platform expertly camouflaged among the foliage. It was quite a large platform, and as she clambered atop it she found Hilde watching her, relief evident on her face. Duo was beside the raven-haired woman, and their fingers were interlocked. He gave Sally a wink. 

            "I knew it was wrong to doubt Quatre when he promised he'd bring you here," he told her, smiling. 

            The blonde man was seated across from Sally, Indian-style. "Oh yes, forgive me. My name is Quatre." She nodded in his direction as he pulled up the ladder, folding it up and placing it in one corner of the platform. 

            "Hey Sal…" Duo said suddenly, looking confused. "Where's 'Fei? I thought he went with you…" Sally's eyes grew wide and fearful, remembering what Alex and Mueller had said. They had left him to die out in the forest…with the sword wound he had acquired. 

            "He was wounded…" she said after a pause, "and the men who captured me left him in the forest." Hilde gasped, and Duo muttered an incoherent curse under his breath heatedly. After that, a somber silence befell the group. Quatre was the one to break the heavy quiet. 

            "Trowa's back." At Sally's confused glance, he continued. "He's my companion…the one who chased after the man who fled." The Chinese woman nodded in understanding. 

            "Ah. The phantom archer." 

            Quatre smiled. "Yes. I'm afraid my companion and I are the reasons for all the rumors about ghosts and whatnot. We inhabit the forest and chase off unwanted visitors. I must say, the rumors are quite helpful. They weed out suspicious, nosy people." He winked to show he was making light of the situation.

            "And you rescue kidnapped ladies," Hilde piped up, attempting to break the solemn atmosphere even further. It didn't help much, as the group feared for their lost companion. 

            "How bad were his wounds?" Duo asked Sally slowly, as if desperately wanting the answer, and at the same time fearing what it might mean. The woman, in turn, shot him a glance that said more than words ever could. "Goddamnit!" An uncomfortable, pressing silence weighed down on the group. It was broken when Quatre cleared his throat delicately.  

            "Something's wrong. Trowa can climb this tree faster than I can."

            "Throw him the ladder," Hilde said softly, glancing up from where her gaze had previously been resting, the platform floor. 

            Quatre shook his head, blue eyes troubled. "Neither of us ever uses the ladder."

            "Maybe he's injured," Duo offered, biting the last word with a bitter note. 

            "Perhaps," the blonde man replied, though his face showed his dubious thoughts. At that moment a hand reached out on the side of the platform. "Ah! Trowa's back!"

            "Quatre, could you help me with something?" called a voice from underneath the platform. Quatre crawled over to the side, leaning over and talking in a hushed voice with Trowa, who answered back as quietly. Suddenly, Quatre began pulling on something, carrying it onto the platform. 

            "That's my cloak…" Sally stated quietly, gazing at the long, black cloak that the man was hauling up. The cloak let out a guttural sound, and shifted slightly from where it lay on the ground. Wait a minute—shifted slightly? "Wufei!" Sally rushed over to the crumpled heap, hearing Duo and Hilde follow her. She moved the cloak away, and his shadowed, pained face was brought to view. She heard startled gasps from behind her, but whether they were made by Duo or Hilde was unknown. 

            A strip of white cloth was drawn tightly over Wufei's sword wound, and it was all ready stained dark with seeping blood. 

            "He's unconscious," Hilde whispered, her voice adopting a haunting note. 

            "I found him near one of Treize's men," a calm, quiet voice said coolly. The trio turned around and saw another man, presumably Trowa, sitting on the ground. "There's nothing more you can do to help him." Sally pressed her hand to the raven-haired man's forehead, feeling the skin at a sickly high temperature; his body was convulsing with shivers, though. 

            Duo and Hilde helped Sally lay the cloak down, resting their friend across the material. 

            "We need to get his fever to break," Hilde instructed calmly, hovering behind Duo, who was kneeling next to the fallen knight. The braided man shook his head, being the voice of pessimism in the situation. 

            "He's lost too much blood…"

            Sally spoke up suddenly. "No he hasn't! We have to get his fever to break!" Duo and Hilde shared a look, and the group fell into another tense quiet, broken only by Wufei's labored breathing. His sides heaved painfully, as if ever breath cost him a colossal amount of energy. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. 

            "I'll go get some water and a washcloth," Quatre told the group, grabbing a clay bowl from a corner of the platform, where a small pile of supplies was resting. He slipped over the edge of the platform then, his exit being virtually soundless as he adroitly slipped from branch to branch.  No one replied to the man's exit, nor did anyone speak for some time after that. 

            It was like the whole company was holding their breath…like the forest was holding its breath. 

TBC….

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long in updating. And no Zechs and Noin this chapter (sorry Callisto). Next chapter I'll add them…and I may also add Heero and Relena. Yea or nay? 

Please review!!


	11. Friendly Company

Author's Note: Whew. Here it is, at long last. Chapter 11. Sorry to keep everyone waiting. 

Disclaimer: I still don't own Gundam Wing…but I'm working on it. 

                                                                                                                                    "Friendly Company"

            Zechs stood in the center of an extensive, elaborately decorated corridor. He looked up and down the hall, his light blue eyes clouded over; resigning his search with a sigh, he folded his arms across his chest. 

            "Something wrong?" a feminine voice queried, and the prince turned to see Lucrezia leaning against the wall casually. Her expression was one of curiosity, and her raven eyebrows were drawn together. She was staring at him without blinking, pointedly waiting for an answer. Zechs ran a hand through his floppy blonde bangs, sighing once more. 

            "Relena disappeared again."

            "Disappeared?" Noin repeated, pushing off of the wall and coming to stand in front of her friend. "Again?"

            Zechs nodded. "She's always running off somewhere for the longest periods of time. I never know where she's going." Lucrezia raised a finger to the side of her chin in mock-thought. 

            "Hmm. Kind of like the time when you and I snuck out on those horses to the middle of the forest one afternoon?" she asked, raising one eyebrow as high as it would go. She smiled teasingly.

            "Well—"

            "Or the time we snuck out through the back gardens?"

            "But—"

            "Or the time we—"

            "All right, all ready!" Zechs interjected, throwing up his hands in exasperation. "You make a valid point, Lucrezia. But she's my baby sister, and I'm supposed to worry about her." 

            Lucrezia leaned into Zechs's chest, smiling when his hands came up to rest on her arms. "She's probably just out exploring, anyway." She smirked slightly. "It's not like she's out with some _boy_ or anything…" Zechs's body tensed against hers, his muscles clenching. 

            "That's not funny," he deadpanned. Noin pulled away, grinning impishly at him. 

            "On the contrary…" she trailed off. 

            Zechs gazed sidelong at the woman suspiciously. "You don't happen to know something I don't, do you?" She shook her head. 

            "I know how much you worry about her," she told him, more serious this time. "You know I wouldn't add to your monstrously large stress levels." She accompanied this last statement with a wink. Zechs smiled, allowing Lucrezia to slip her hand into his and drag him down the hall. 

            "At least…not on purpose…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Sally pulled the warm rag off Wufei's forehead, replacing it in a clay bowl full of cool water. She squeezed out the excess, replacing the chilly, wet rag on his forehead. His normally healthy, tan face was flushed with fever, and his skin was clammy and damp. The sword wound in his stomach had been dressed and redressed, but his fever had not yet broken. His dangerously high body temperature was compromising his life, leaving his friends in a state of worry. 

            Duo sat beside Sally, his legs interlaced Indian-style. His arms were folded across his chest, his face unusually somber. Hilde sat on his other side, knees pulled up to her chest tightly. The trio hadn't moved in hours, and no one spoke a word. Quatre and Trowa would come and go, bringing back fresh water, or bandages. The 'phantoms' had been extremely helpful, though the shows of appreciation hadn't been overly exuberant. 

            "Quatre?" Sally called as the blonde-haired man once again emerged from the tree branches, climbing onto the platform. Duo and Hilde gave her weird looks, uncertain as to why she had started talking. "Is it all right if we…I mean…if we stayed here…at least until Wufei gets better?" No one missed the unspoken _if_. It hung in the air heavily, like a damp, musky fog. 

            "Of course, Miss Sally," Quatre said, his bright eyes showing his compassion. "That is why I brought you here, to help you." Sally muttered a 'thank you', returning to her fallen comrade.

            "Why?" Duo asked suddenly, running his hand through the top of his braid for the umpteenth time. "Why are you helping us, man?"

            Quatre looked uncomfortable, shifting his gaze to the floor. He was spared from answering when Trowa swung up onto the platform. 

            "It is our business why," the emerald-eyed man stated sternly, casting Duo a firm glance. "You are in no position to refuse, or to question our help."

            Duo seemed surprised by this, his darkened violet eyes widening. Sally and Hilde, for their part, ignored the enigma of a man, their eyes unfocused, staring into nothingness. Quatre watched the group for a while longer, his lips closed tightly in thought, as if in a silent debate with himself. 

"I'll watch over your friend," the blonde stated after a pause, watching as three pairs of questioning eyes turned towards him. "You all must be very tired; you should get some rest. You're going to need to be at your best health in order to continue your journey." His unyielding expression killed any protests they might have had. Duo accepted a blanket without hesitation, lying down and rolling up the cloth into a makeshift pillow. He watched silently as Hilde glanced at him with uncertainty, before crawling over and curling up beside him. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, sighing softly when he drew his arm around her. 

Sally was across the platform, a few feet away from where Wufei was lying. Quatre was sitting beside the Chinese man, but watching Sally with concern. She offered him a weak smile, lying on her side on the floor and drawing her knees up to her chest. She glanced up when she felt a cloth being draped over her, and watched as Trowa pulled a blanket around her weary, sore body. She had time to be mildly amused—and touched-- by the gesture, before sleep claimed her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Relena grinned widely, tossing a handful of wildflowers in the air, and spinning in circles as they fell down around her. She laughed as some petals got stuck in her hair and other clung to her dress. She picked up some more flowers, which were dotted all over the wide meadow. The sun shown down upon her skin, giving her a warm feeling inside-out. 

            She carried the plants over to a patch of trees, where a young man was resting against the trunk of a large beech tree. His tousled, chocolate hair was darkened in the shade of the leafy tree. Her breath was ragged, partially from her jumping and running, and partially from the look of him reclining against the tree. 

            "Heero…" she whispered as she got near, sitting down beside him. She set the flowers down; pulling out a small purple one, she began braiding the small plant in her hair. She had left her blonde hair down today, and it was rustled and tangled from the springtime winds. Heero watched her closely, his Prussian blue eyes heavily guarded. 

            "Here," he said quietly, taking the flower from her. "I'll do it."

            Relena's lips pulled back in a brilliant smile. "All right." She leaned against his chest as he threaded his fingers through her hair, placing the flora amidst her honey tresses. It wasn't often she got to spend time with Heero, and she treasured every moment. As luck would have it, Relena was born a princess, and Heero, a lowly stable boy. 

            This tiny detail didn't stop the young lovers from their covert meetings. But lately it was becoming harder and harder for them to sneak away without mishap. 

            "I think my brother's getting suspicious," Relena said suddenly, breaking the warm silence. She felt Heero's hands cease their movements, and the young princess could actually feel the tension radiating from him. "I won't let him find out, Heero." She turned around, so she was facing him. "You could get in so much trouble…"

            Heero moved one of his hands from her hair, stroking the smooth skin of her cheek softly. He leaned forward, his lips a breath away from hers. "It would be worth it," he murmured, before fully closing the distance between their mouths.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Sally opened her eyes, and immediately regretted waking up in the first place. Her muscles felt stiff, and when she tried to move them the dull aches turned into throbbing pains. Her form was sore from her exercises of the other day, and also from sleeping on a hard wooden floor, with nothing padding her body. As the events of the past day ran through her mind, the young woman sat up abruptly, eyes darting frantically about the platform. 

            Quatre was seated where he was the last time she saw him. He turned his head when he heard her stir, and smiled encouragingly at her. "His fever broke." 

            Sally let out a sigh of relief, crawling over beside the blonde man and looking down at her friend. Wufei's face had lost the flushed color, and sweat was no longer running down his face. She was amazed at how peaceful he looked, compared to his normally gruff exterior. 

            "Has he woken up yet?" she inquired, leaning forward and touching his forehead, as if to ascertain to herself his condition. His skin felt warm, but healthily so. 

            "Not yet," Quatre told her, "but he does need his rest. He'll be waking up soon."

            Sally had difficulty swallowing. "So…he's out of danger?" Quatre looked at her sidelong, but she was still looking at Wufei. 

            "He's out of immediate danger," he said after a moment, trying to placate her. "But until his wound heals, there is always the chance of infection, and reopening the wound." Sally nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. He gave her the truth, without trying to sugarcoat any of the details. She appreciated that immensely. 

            "Thank you so much, Quatre," she said sincerely, breaking her gaze from the fallen knight towards the young man beside her. 

            "It's really no trouble," he assured her quietly. "No trouble at all."

            Sally didn't appear convinced. "But, if Trowa hadn't of found Wufei…he would still be lying in the forest still. And he'd—"

            "But he did find him," Quatre said soothingly, placing a hand on Sally's shoulder. "Now, why don't you go back to sleep. Your friend will be fine." Sally shook her head.

            "No, you've done so much all ready. You get some sleep, and I'll watch over Wufei." 

            Quatre looked ready to protest for a moment, but he smiled and nodded, instead. He crawled over to where Sally had left the blanket she was using. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to wake me. Trowa should be back soon, too."

            Sally scooted closer to Wufei. "All right."

            Quatre's breathing soon evened as he fell into a deep, much-needed sleep. Sally kept watch over Wufei, waiting for him to wake up. When he remained still, she reached out her hand hesitantly, touching his hand, which rested on the wooden platform. She curled her fingers around his hand, taking it in her own. But his breathing remained even, and he still did not open his eyes. 

A/N: I normally don't do this, but I thought I should respond to each reviewer individually. ^_^ Just because. 

Mama-sama- Thanks for the nice comments!! ^_^ You always give happy reviews. I like happy reviews. Hehe. 

Chibi Tsuki- I'm glad you liked it! I wanted to try and find a way to introduce Quatre and Trowa, and then I realized I could incorporate them into Sally's escape. =)

LuLuDucky- Well, here's more! Sorry it took so long, but thanks for reviewing!

Callisto Nicol- Here's a little bit of Zechs and Noin. There will be more of them once Sally and the others meet up at King Peacecraft's castle. _If_ they get there…lol.

Winter's Roar- I tried to end it with some hope for Wufei. Thank you so much for your kind reviews!!

Chibi noin- I try to make them longer, I really do. This one's even shorter than the last one, I think. I'll try to make them longer, though. ^_^

Silver Magiccraft- Sorry, I know you were the only one opposed to adding Heero and Relena. I kind of agreed with you, though, since it makes more work for me. ^_^ What have I gotten myself into? Anyway, thank you for the nice reviews! 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far. I hope you review again…^_^ reviews make me happy!


	12. Waiting for Fate

A/N: What can I say? Extremely late. 

Disclaimer: I haven't owned them these past 11 chapters; I sure don't own 'em now. 

                                                                                                                        "Waiting for Fate"

            Wufei rested with his back against the tree trunk, sipping water from a clay cup slowly. His pride caused him to push aside the shaking of his frail hands and the numb feeling in his butt from hours of sitting on the wood flooring. He had been told it was three days since his fever broke, and that he should feel lucky to be alive. But right now, he could only focus on the near-unbearable pain in his torso, which sometimes would flare throughout his whole body, making him groan in spite of himself. 

            Since he had awoken, his companions had found it easier to rest and help out the 'phantoms,' when most of their time had been spent fretting over their fourth member. Wufei was grudgingly grateful of Quatre and Trowa, even though the enigmatic nature of their lifestyle begged question. 

            He was surprised to find that not only Sally, but also Duo and Hilde had also survived their latest ordeal. Since that mishap, they had made it their duty to assure that everyone was fashioned with a weapon. Their haste early on almost cost them their lives, although, in retrospect, he couldn't think of another way to have handled their escape. 

            Now, the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, providing a dusky, morning light. The other three men were out hunting, much to Wufei's chagrin. Hilde was awake, fussing around about nothing while Sally slept restlessly, curled on her side. Wufei couldn't help but notice her peaceful expression, since she was facing towards him, one arm outstretched. In the close confines of the platform, it would have been painfully easy to reach out and touch her hand, or her face. Perturbed by his observation, Wufei instead turned towards the raven-haired woman. 

            "Have the others mentioned a time when we'll be moving on?" he asked, setting the ceramic cup on the ground, hating how it clattered slightly with his weak hands. 

            If Hilde was shocked that he had spoken to her, she hid it well. "We haven't spoken of it. I assume we'll want to get moving as soon as we can. Possibly within the week," she told him, folding up a spare blanket and placing it in the corner. She wisely chose not to mention his weakened state, knowing how prideful he was. She added, "We found all of our horses. Two were killed, but the other two are in perfect health, though they're a bit spooked."

            "With the horses we can get moving sooner," Wufei mused to himself aloud, leaning his head against the tree trunk. "Now, if only the days wouldn't pass so damn slowly."

            Hilde smiled sympathetically. "Even with four horses we had about a three days' ride ahead of us before reaching King Peacecraft. But now that we're down to two horses, we'll most likely be on foot." She didn't bring up the fact that he would be the only one riding, while the other horse carried their supplies. It wasn't necessary, and he knew it was true, even if it wasn't acknowledged aloud. 

            Biting back his frustration, Wufei turned and gazed through the leaves of the trees, observing the sunlight as it peaked across the horizon and through the foliage. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Prince Zechs was notorious for his stoical nature. He was an expert at schooling his features, keeping his countenance at a carefully neutral expression, never betraying a single thought or desire. 

            Lucrezia Noin, however, had known Zechs for far to long, and he was never able to hide secrets from her. She easily observed the storm raging behind his icy eyes, the unnatural clench in his jaw muscles, and the stiff manner in which he held his shoulders. Something was troubling her friend. Taking in his troubled form, she climbed up the castle wall beside him, swinging her legs so they were hanging over the edge next to his. Flagstone lay two stories beneath them, and Lucrezia was grateful for her immunity to the fear of heights. 

            "What's going on, Zechs?" she asked, keeping her voice soft. She knew how moody he could be when he was like this, and feared pushing him away, or making him close off to her. "My father's been so upset today, and everyone around the manner refuses to explain it to me." She paused. "What's happening?"

            Zechs ground his teeth together, spitting out, "They won't tell you because you're a woman. It is not your business to know."

            Lucrezia scowled, her delicate raven eyebrows drawing together on her face. "That's what they say, but you've never treated me like that. And I'd hate to think you're starting now." She scooted closer to him, until their shoulders were tenderly touching. 

            "But why do I treat you differently?

            She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I like to think it's because you see us on equal footing where gender is concerned. It's true you are of royal blood and I am not, but you have never doubted my strength simply because I am a woman. I don't think you are capable of stooping that low."

            Zechs sighed, a gentle breeze sifting through his silvery bangs. It was a wonder she hadn't pushed him off the wall, with his initial bitter attitude. Sometimes it seemed like she was the only one who could ever understand him, and that thought terrified him. 

            He said, "It's been heard that Lord Treize is preparing for another attack. He's gathering followers fast. People believe he is some kind of prophet, and it sounds like the Church is backing up these ridiculous claims."

            Lucrezia let out an undignified snort. "The Church is corrupt."

            The prince tossed her a wry smirk. "Don't let my father hear you say that." His tone sobered. "Treize's next target appears to be Lord Antwan."

            Rather than appear surprised, she raised an eyebrow speculatively. "But my father's allegiance is to King Peacecraft. If he attacks my father, he would indirectly be attacking-"

            "My father," Zechs interjected with a nod in his friend's direction. "Exactly. And there's no way for us to defend indirectly, so we would have to stage an assault against Lord Treize directly. My father's hope is that we can take him out of power for good, and place a new family in rule of his land."

            "What about the Po manor?" she queried. "The land he just gained? Would that go to the new family, or be returned to Sally."

            "That I don't know."

            Lucrezia paused, pursing her lips in silence. She said, "But if Sally is making her way towards the castle for protection to regroup, and Treize is coming to attack…" She trailed off slowly, turning towards Zechs with wide eyes. 

            "We have to hope that Sally hurries," he said simply, knowing how hopeless it sounded. In her shocked state, Lucrezia almost didn't feel him slip his hand into hers and interlock their fingers warmly. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Trowa looked towards the sky, his pupils contracting against the high noon sun. Quatre and Duo were up on the platform with Wufei, while Hilde and Sally tended to the two squirrels and one rabbit they had managed to catch that morning. While everyone else was occupied, Trowa took the time to fill the ceramic bowls up at the stream, his thoughts drifting back to his days as a performer. 

            His family had run a traveling circus troupe and his sister, Catherine, and him had always had a knack for performing. He had met Quatre when the blonde man's family had taken a visit to one of their shows. Quatre's father had been an extremely successful and wealthy merchant with a large family, though Quatre was the only son. 

            Whenever he thought about that day, Trowa's gut would wrench, and a deep rage would burn from within the cavity of his chest. 

            Treize chose that performance to attack, taking performers and spectators alike by surprise. Trowa's family had been slaughtered, and he had held his dying sister in his arms as she shuddered her last breath. Overcome by grief, he had been prepared to take Treize down himself, if he had to use his bare hands. Instead, he had found Quatre, surrounded by his dead family, tears welling up in his aquamarine eyes. The two men had fled the macabre scene in horror, vowing to exact revenge for the heinous wrongdoing. 

            The duo hid out in the forest, gathering information from the nearby city, preparing for the moment when Treize would be taken down. With feudal war humming through the air, their time seemed to be near at hand. 

            Shaking the lurid memories from his mind, Trowa finished gathering water, returning to the platform. With grace the man had inherited and learned, Trowa climbed the tree while balancing the water, never spilling a drop. As he joined the other three men on the wooden platform, he could almost swear by the way Quatre was looking at him that the other man knew what he had been thinking. 

            Soon, he thought. 

Author's Note: I never imagined that school would be so much more time-consuming this year in comparison to last year. I have started typing once more, and will update either my Inuyasha story or SotP next. Hopefully this chapter will jump-start my momentum, and I'll get some more chapters out before Christmas. 

_Mama-sama:_ Thank you for all the nice reviews. I hope you haven't forgotten about this story in my lethargic updating. ^_^

_Silver Magiccraft:_ This kind of defeats the purpose of 'update soon.' But I guess better late than never. (better never late…hehe)

_sweetangel4: _I'm glad you like it so far. Hopefully I can regain my momentum and make up for lost time. 

_Mercurial1:_ Thank you! ^_^ 

_Callisto Nicol:_ You're right…Quatre and Trowa aren't simply helping them out of charity. This chapter kind of explains that, though. ^_^ Thanks for your reviews. 

_Chibi Tsuki:_ Thanks! I guess the lower class thing is a bit of a trend. It's not such a stretch between Noin and Zechs, though. ^^ 

_emerald booky-chan:_ You've been checking every few days? Don't have a heart attack when it actually changes. ^_^

_chibi noin:_ Thank you for your review! It gave me the kick that I needed to start typing again. ^^ 


End file.
